Fingerprint Memories
by Karma1987
Summary: Follow on from Taweret's Gift. Sam and Jack have been married for four year but their family now faces a new difficulty with a discovery about their youngest child. AU
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer - All rights belong to the rightful owners, Except the characters of Alice and Ellie O'neill etc etc_

 _Author Note - This is a follow up to my story Taweret's Gift. You don't have to have read it for this story to make sense. Tawaret's gift saw Sam become pregnant with Ellie off world due to intervention by an artifact of a benevolent Goauld (Taweret) which ultimately ended with Sam and Jack getting together and get married. I've tried to post the link to Taweret's Gift but i'm not allowed but the file path on here is after the fanfiction address /s/10734573/1/Taweret-s-Gift if you would like to read it. In time frame wise, Ellie is now 4 years old this story is set season 8 ish but AU. Anyways Hope you enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 1

The ear splitting scream reverberated around the house like a gunshot. Jack slowly peeled his eyes open, the room was pitch black and just over his wife's awakening frame he could make out the red display of the alarm clock, 2:45am. His voice floundered in his throat as he tried to form a word but it turned into a guttural groan. With extreme effort he lifted his head off the soft pillow.

"I'll go." Sam's voice sounded as scratchy as his felt.

"My turn," Jack grumbled, trying to force his arms to lift his body off the warm inviting mattress.

"I didn't fly to Washington and back today." Sam placed a cool hand on his back making any movement seemingly impossible for her husband. "Try and go back to sleep."

Jack made a grunt in an agreement and slumped back into his sleeping position. He barely heard Sam as she staggered out of the room to tend to the screaming child in the other room. What felt like moments later a small hand touched his face and Jack peeled his eyes open once more. "Elles Bells," he mumbled.

"Daddy," Ellie O'Neill whispered. "I come in?"

Jack didn't answer verbally, instead holding the covers up so that his little girl could crawl into the gap at the edge of the bed. Instantly she snuggled into him and Jack curled his arms around her, holding her as if she was the most precious thing in all of existence.

"Daddy," Ellie whispered into his T-shirt, "Alice…"

"I know," Jack interrupted, sleep calling him, he registered a change in the cry, Sam clearly comforting their younger daughter, "she's Ok, Mommy's got her."

* * *

Sam cradled her 19 month old daughter tenderly as the child sobbed out her terror. It had been like this every day since her birth crying through the night, waking screaming. At first they had thought that Alice had just been a colicky baby that she would grow out of it, settle into a routine but she didn't. Now nineteen months later she was still like it, still waking up screaming in the night. It was exhausting, Sam had barely slept more than two hours in a row since Alice had been born but there was nothing that they seemed to be able to do for her. They had tried every method they could think of, different cots and cribs, different sleep covers, different clothes, having her in with them, in with Ellie, in her own room, different foods, different drinks, but nothing worked. Every single night without fail Alice would wake up screaming. The look of sheer terror on her daughter's face was enough to banish any annoyance away from her and from Jack when either of them came to comfort Alice each night. Sam just wished that her daughter could articulate her troubles, whatever they were. Alice had words but not many and the only word she seemed to have at the moment was 'Mama,' as she sobbed her little heart out.

"Ali Bongo," Sam spoke in a sing song voice using Jack's nickname for the child. "Can you tell me what scared you?" Alice shook her head and buried her head into Sam's shoulder her incessant tears soaking into Sam's pyjamas. Sam tenderly coaxed her daughter's face from her shoulder, lifting her little chin up so that she could look into Alice's deep brown eyes. "If you tell Mommy, Mommy can help."

"No," Alice shook her head fiercely. "Soww Mama."

Sam repositioned the toddler, carefully pulling down the toddler's pyjama top that had been dislodged during her crying fit. "You have nothing to be sorry for Alice," She cradled the child, her fingers stroking the toddler's smooth soft bare arms.

"Mama love?" Alice whimpered plaintively, as she gripped hold of Sam's nightclothes.

"Mommy loves you," Sam kissed Alice, hoping the child could feel the strength of feeling in the simple action. Wishing it could do more than comfort, wishing that she could take away her problem and help her baby girl to for once get a peaceful night's sleep.

* * *

Jack opened the bag of chips with such force that they exploded from the bag and scattered across the kitchen counter. Crunching the bag and the remaining chips into a ball he cursed under his breath and braced himself against the granite work surface. The barbeque had seemed a good idea a couple of days ago; it had obviously been a rare moment when he wasn't exhausted to his core. He was too old for this, as much as he loved and adored his girls, he was just too old to deal with the not sleeping. Of course the not sleeping had not supposed to last this long but it still bothered him that he was the wrong side of fifty and they were still technically babies. Hell, when he walked them down the aisle he was going to need a Zimmer frame. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a small hand creeping up to spirit away one of the errant snacks. He turned his head whip fast and Ellie froze, her brown eyes widening as she realised she had been caught. Slowly a smile crept across her face, rapidly transforming her startled features into one of dazzling beauty. Jack gulped, both the girls had got their smile from their mother, and not for the first time he was forced to think about what weaponry he could procure as an Air Force General that would help with keeping horny teenagers away from them when they reached the dreaded age when they could date.

"Hi Daddy," Ellie smiled sweetly as her cheeks blushed pink to match her pink fairy T-shirt. "When are Teaulk, and Daniel gonna be here?"

"Little bit," Jack told her as he brushed the chips out of her reach, "you helped your Mom?"

Ellie nodded earnestly, her two curly blonde bunches bobbing furiously. "I gived her all my clothes and I maked my bed and I putted my toys in the box," she smiled up at her father. "I just gotted to put my drawing away."

"Why don't you go do that." Jack told her, he watched as her brown eyes scanned across the counter to the chip. Slowly he lifted one of the chips, chuckling to himself as he watched Ellie's eyes follow his hand intently, he held the chip out to her, "here you are."

"Thank you Daddy," Ellie tentatively took the chip. She nibbled on the edge of the chip, "Daddy can my steak be not burnded please?"

Jack grinned at her. "It won't be burnt Elles Bells, it will be flavour," he chuckled as her face twisted into an expression that told him she thought he was lying. "Go tidy up."

"Kay!" Ellie scampered off nearly colliding with Sam as she came through the door holding Alice on one hip and a basket of laundry on the other. "Hi Mommy."

Sam raised her eyebrows as the chips scattered across the kitchen but said nothing, instead shifting her hip indicating for Jack to take the toddler from her. He complied, lifting Alice into his arms and then settling her on the counter. The toddler looked down at the counter and traced her short chubby fingers through the chip residue. "Dada," she whispered softly, as she looked up at him solemnly, "Soww Dada."

"Watcha sorry for Ali Bongo?" Jack smoothed her light brown curly hair.

"No seep," Alice sighed heavily, her baby features looking far too grown up for Jack's liking.

Jack tickled her under chin and the child's face creased involuntarily as she squirmed. "Can't help bad dreams Ali Bongo," she giggled and Jack reached to pull her up into his arms for a tight hug. Her little chubby arms gripped around his neck and he inhaled her still baby smell, the smell of baby powder and no tear shampoo. Opening his eyes he could see Sam watching him, her blue eyes trained intently on both of them as she sorted through the laundry. He gave her a happy smile and the tightness in her face vanished she looked like the same old Sam, but deep in her eyes he could see it, the ever present underlying concern over Alice. She looked away to concentrate on the laundry and Jack studied her as he swung Alice onto his hip, she looked as he did, exhausted but she still to him, looked utterly beautiful. Her hair was longer now, grown down passed her shoulders, at work she wore it in a neat plait or twisted up into a low bun, but at the weekend and at home she let it free and when the sun reflected off it, it was like liquid gold in a shade far more becoming then the innumerable gold walls he had seen over the past 8 years. He had to look away and clear his throat, no matter how tired he was, now that he knew what was there he couldn't help himself when it came to Sam, and company was coming.

"Mama pretty," Alice voiced, what he was thinking.

Sam looked up startled and blushed, Jack chuckled at her bemused look. "I reckon so too," he bounced the toddler. The doorbell sounded and Alice pointed towards the front door. "Should we get it you reckon?" he bounced Alice and she laughed heartily. "Ok, lets go say hi to your honorary uncles."

* * *

The indignant squeak stopped Daniel from pushing further into the bathroom. He pulled the door back too and turned away. "Sorry Ellie," Daniel apologised to the occupant. "I didn't realise you were in there."

"I nearly done," the little girl called through the door. Sure enough within moments there was the sound of the toilet flushing followed by the sound of running water which lasted just long enough for the child to dip her hands under the flow.

Daniel made a mental note to make sure Sam caught the girl with one of her omnipotent baby wipes before Ellie ate anything. He smiled at the little girl as she sidled out through the bathroom door. "I'm sorry, the door was open."

"Yeah," Ellie sighed sadly. "I can't do the handle," she scowled at the silver globe style handle before looking up with a beaming smile. "You havin fun?"

"So far," Daniel nodded, over her shoulder he caught sight of a pile of papers by a doorway unusual for the normally organised Sam.

"But we haven't eated yet," Ellie glanced sideways. "I think Daddy's gonna burn the steaks."

"Goes without saying," Daniel answered distracted as he took a closer interest in the papers on the floor, his eyes training in on what was clearly a childlike representation of a stargate address. "Ellie? Are those your drawings?"

The little girl pivoted on her heel, the soles of her trainers flashing. "Nope, Alice, she used my pencils," she looked back over her shoulder up at Daniel. "She supposed to use her crayons, but she likes my pencils."

"Don't like having to share huh?" Daniel ruffled her hair; Ellie nodded. "Can I look at them?"

"Uh huh," Ellie crouched down and collected the mostly scribbled drawings, putting them into a roughly neat stack and holding them out to Daniel. "Why?"

"Just something interesting I want to look at." He looked down and caught the look that Ellie was giving him. Sometimes it unnerved him to see Sam's intelligence looking out at him through Jack's eyes. "Why don't you go back outside, I'll be out in a few," he inclined his head backwards towards the bathroom so that he could get some privacy, firstly for the reason he had approached the bathroom in the first place and secondly so he could study the drawings that had been drawn by a toddler who should have no knowledge of what she had produced.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN - Thanks to everyone who read so far and to those who have reviewed. Hope you enjoy chapter 2, let me know ;)_

Chapter 2

Daniel closed his eyes and sighed heavily, the mystery of Jack and Sam's youngest child was all slotting into place in a way that he most definitely didn't want it to be. Her night terrors suddenly made sense when combined with the drawings that he had taken from the house on Saturday. Unfathomably their little girl had knowledge of Stargate technology when all she should know of the Stargate was the gate itself from her few visits to the base, but in reality it wasn't an unfathomable reason at all because the dates fit. Alice would have been conceived after Jack had been host to Kanan and even though her parents had been hosts for the briefest of periods Alice had the genetic memories of the symbiotes, meaning that Alice was a Harcesis, Harcesis to the Tokra which was a small mercy but Harcesis none the less.

Daniel flicked through the crude drawings and began sorting them into some kind of order so that he could present them to Jack and Sam. Some of the images chilled him, the drawings were so childlike, while Alice was clearly developmentally advanced for her age; the people she had drawn were made of circles as their heads and bodies with tiny lines for their arms and legs, but some had yellow eyes, and the circles with blue or brown eyes were clearly hurt in some way. There were images of what he thought were Jaffa, circles with marks on them holding sticks. Alice had always been wary of Teal'c only going to him when he wore his hat, when he went without she avoided him, and while stoic solid Teal'c would never say anything Daniel knew that it bothered the Jaffa, especially as he had such a close relationship with Ellie. There were scribbles of pure red and orange but look closely you could see circles lying down jagged red lines surrounding them, people burning to death. If these were the images that filled the tiny child's nightmares it was no wonder she woke up screaming.

"Daniel," Daniel jumped as Jack strolled into his office, in his surprise scattering the pictures. "Guilty conscious space monkey?" Jack chuckled bending over to pick up one of the images. "I need you to go on a mission with SG14, help them out with some ruins they found, can't get their head round some writing stuff," he handed the drawing back, "and also maybe take an art class." Jack smirked at the drawings spread across the desk.

"Sure," Daniel nodded nervously, "but the drawings are not mine."

"Ellie?" Jack guessed tipping his head to look at the drawings properly.

"No," Daniel sighed and placed the pieces of paper out on his desk. "Ellie said they were Alice's. They…um,"

"Why would my nineteen month old be drawing a snake head?" Jack growled picking up one of the drawings, "the only one she's met is Selmak."

"Jack," Daniel spoke carefully, "Er…Alice would have been conceived after you were a host" he braced himself as Jack stared up at him, his eyes a swirling mess of anger, confusion and fear. "I think that she might be…"

"Daniel," Jack hissed, the mask of black ops moving across his face, "if you finish that sentence, so help me."

"I know Jack," Daniel took a step backwards, "but it would fit, her night terrors, these... What if she has memories of the Tokra, if she was …"

"Daniel!" Jack shouted. He was seething and Daniel could feel the energy rising from him. "Do not mention this to anyone," he snatched the drawings away from Daniel.

"But…"

"We will discuss this when I have spoken to Sam," Jack seemed to sag. "Go ask Walter to put a call into the Tokra to request a visit. We'll do it their end, not here." He looked up at Daniel. "Can you come with…" he trailed, the mask dropping, so much fear in his eyes about what this could all mean.

Daniel nodded, Jack could order him to come, Jack could order him to do anything, but Jack wanted him to come, wanted his help, "I'll help in any way I can."

Jack nodded with thanks and stumbled out of the room clutching the pieces of paper to his chest in fear that someone might see them and make connections. He felt like he had been hit by a truck, his brain mush as he realised what Daniel had insinuated was true. Everything about Alice suddenly made sense. He hardly noticed who he passed as she stumbled his way through the base to Sam's lab. When he had been promoted to General and become Base Commander, Sam had become more lab based, only going off world when it was strictly necessary, he liked it that way, knowing she was safe, he'd never quite realised that how much of a burden it was to send those that he cared about off world, he hated sending Sam off world with a passion because he could never be sure that she was safe. But being on world wasn't safe, everyday Sam tinkered with doodads and doohickies that could blow up in her face, and everyday their little girl had the memories from the snakeheads.

He reached Sam's lab and froze in the door, she had minions, all buzzing around her as she listed a ream of tests that needed to be carried out on the latest bit of equipment she was studying. One of the minions caught sight of him and stiffened, making Sam pause and look round. Seeing him in the doorway she smiled and stated the last tests she needed.

"General O'Neill, how may I help you?" she gave him a courteous nod.

Normally Jack would have grinned at her use of his rank, but today there was no way he could smile. "I need to speak to you," he looked down at the papers that he was clutching to his chest, "non work related, it can't wait."

"Oh," Sam raised her eyebrow with surprise, her eyes moving to glance at the clock. It was only 20 minutes till their shared lunch break. "Is everything alright?"

"I…No." Jack sighed and stepped into her lab. "Er…science people I need to speak to Lt Colonel Carter, so can you all scram for 10 minutes," he waved his hand to indicate the doorway, "in fact go to lunch early."

"Jack?" Sam's voice rose dangerously, her eyes darting between her husband and her colleagues filing out of the room. "What is going on?"

"The girls are fine," Jack assured her as he watched the last curious scientist leave. "Daniel thinks he figured out why Alice gets her nightmares."

"Daniel?"

"Yeah," Jack swallowed and slowly inched towards her, peeling his arms and the pictures away from his chest "she drew these," nervously he held the drawings out to Sam. She took them almost snatching them from him, her eyes roving over them with her usual intelligence but Jack could see it, the mommy rose tinted glasses pulling across, preventing her from seeing what he now saw, what Daniel had seen straight away, "they're of Goauld Sam." The change in her expression was startling and it took everything within Jack not to pull the pictures away from her and her into his arms. "Daniel thinks Alice…he thinks Alice is…"

"A Harcesis," Sam mumbled, her hands began to tremble and her eyes widened as the realisation sunk in. "Oh God Jack!"

"I know," this time Jack did pull the pictures away from her. He set the damning pages on the table and stared at her, she was bodily trembling now, her beautiful eyes filled with terror. "We'll work it out Sam." He held his arms out to allow her in. "Come'ere."

* * *

Sam blinked repeatedly as she stared at the bookcase, the events of the day had transformed her from a highly intelligent focussed and brilliant scientist into a barely functioning simpleton. Her mind was so possessed with fear and guilt she could hardly make out the brightly coloured print on the spines of Ellie's books.

"It's there Mommy," Ellie called out helpfully pointing, Sam turned slowly and stared at her elder daughter trying to process the book that her 4 year old was asking to be read to. "You sleepy Mommy?" Ellie asked kicking back her covers and sliding out of her bed; she scampered across the room and bounced alongside Sam. "I can read to you Mommy." The little girl grabbed the book that she had been asking for and moved back to the bed, pulling Sam with her. Sam allowed herself to be pulled along and sank gratefully into the soft mattress. Ellie took charge situating the covers around both of them before snuggling into Sam's side. Instinctively Sam encircled her arms around Ellie as her daughter opened her book. There was a long pause, Ellie struggling to make out most of the words of the story. Sam couldn't help but smile as her daughter gave a disheartened sigh and turned the page to find a picture so that she could make up a story. In moments the bedroom was filled with Ellie's excited chatter as her imagination ran wild and Sam was transported into the simple world of a puppy dog and a fairy princess, a world so far away from wormhole travel and parasitic aliens that for moment she could forget her crazy bizarre world that she had inhabited for almost a decade.

After a while the story petered off as Ellie slipped into sleep. Looking down Sam smiled, joy and sadness was fighting over her as she studied her daughter's delicate features and curly blonde hair. She changed her grip so that she was cradled Ellie in her arms instead of simply holding her, wishing that this moment could be frozen for ever and she could keep Ellie preserved in a world were the worst thing that bothered her was the occasional skinned knee and the scary Disney villain. Ellie was still innocent, still protected from the horror of the universe, but that could not be said for her other daughter. Ellie shifted in her sleep and Sam reluctantly slipped out of the warm bed and extricated her arms from around the child. Instantly Sam started crying, the tears rolling down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain the sobs. In fear of waking her just asleep daughter she stumbled out of the room, colliding with her husband.

Jack encircled her in his strong arms and they sank to the floor Sam sobbing messily into his shoulder. They sat twisted together on the floor between the girl's bedrooms, Jack holding onto her with all his might. He flinched as he heard her garbled apology through her tears.

"No Sam, this is not your fault!" He lifted her face from his shoulder.

"It is," Sam mumbled wiping her face with the back of her hands. "Jack I made you take the Tokra symbiote. I begged you. Because I couldn't lose you." She wiped her face once more. "It's my fault that Alice is a Harcesis. It's my fault that she is…"

"No Sam!" Jack silenced her renewed sobs with a tender kiss.

"Yes," Sam nodded weakly. "Think of what she must have seen Jack, she's just a baby."

"I know," Jack kissed her crown. "Come on," he lifted himself from the floor, pulling her with him. His arm wrapped around her shoulder and waist he guided her into their bedroom to the bed where he settled her onto their mattress. "Come 'ere," he pulled her onto his lap and held her tenderly as he had just held his daughter, every fibre of his being wanting to protect and fix Sam's hurt and Alice's torment, and deep down knowing that despite everything he could do, when it mattered there was absolutely nothing he could do to make this better.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN - Thanks to everyone who has read so far and to those of you who have review_ ed. x

Chapter 3

"Chevron 7 locked," Walter Harriman's voice called out over the intercom as the gate burst into life. Jack nodded over his shoulder at the man before turning to look over the original SG1 team who stood at the base of the ramp. It was rare they all went off world together, whilst Sam was not completely Earthbound she did spend more times in the labs then off world especially since having Alice, the lure of cuddles and bedtime far more enticing to her then being shot at by Goauld. He too had enjoyed that aspect of taking over Command of the SGC and he had only been off World once or twice but that was more down to the never ending piles of paperwork. Daniel and Teal'c floated between teams as needed and Teal'c was spending more time off world assisting Bra'tac with the free Jaffa nation. It was comforting for them to all be together once again even if it was under difficult circumstances.

"Let's move out," he ordered, tweaking the brim of his cap to make it just right, as if it was just the same as 4 years ago, before Ellie and Marriage and the life he treasured so much.

Slowly they trundled up the ramp and just before they entered the event horizon Jack surreptitiously took Sam's hand into his and squeezed it tightly.

They exited the gate with a jump, the plinth at the other end worn and broken, and were forced to disengage their hands as they stumbled down the broken steps. Jack looked curiously around the gate, the terrain was barren and desolate, stringy weed like plants desperately clinging to blackened grey soil. Perfect for the Tokra, if he hadn't known better he would have thought that this world had long since been abandoned.

In the distance he could see what appeared to be moving trees, the barren landscape offering little cover the Tokra operatives. Instinctively he took a step forward putting himself in front of Daniel and Sam and glanced to the left at Teal'c who stood scanning the landscape for any sign of danger. The two moving trees morphed into two Tokra operatives as they drew nearer and Jack pressed his lips together into a firm line, they were new faces to him, though that did not mean he had not met the symbiote within before but with this matter he wanted to speak to Selmak or someone from the council.

"Greetings General O'Neill," the male operative bowed his head as he drew within reach, his voice resonated with the sound of the symbiote. "I am Farouk of the Tokra, this is Chawla one of our prospective hosts," he indicated the woman beside him who also inclined her head. "Selmak has asked us to meet with you and bring you to the base," Farouk continued. "The council meeting will be recessing shortly."

"Right," Jack nodded. "Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter, Dr Daniel Jackson and Teal'c."

"We are pleased to meet you," Chawla spoke giving them a soft smile.

"Yeah well," Jack fiddled with his gun. "Wish it was under better circumstances."

Farouk inclined his head. "The council were intrigued by your request to meet."

"Figured as much," Jack took a step forward hoping to move the party on. "Else why would we be here. I mean you call us right?" he stared at Farouk, his dark eyes boring into the other man until finally the other man blinked and looked away.

"This way," Farouk took a step backwards and turned to face the direction he had come from. "The entrance to the base is a short walk."

* * *

As the light of the rings dissipated Jack's gaze immediately fell on Jacob but before he had a chance to greet his father-in-law Sam rushed forward and almost threw herself in to Jacob's arms. Jacob's eyes instantly rose to meet Jack's.

"Hey Kiddo," Jacob greeted Sam as his eyes scanned Jack's for the reason for her distress.

"Dad!" Sam pulled away from him, her voice trembling. "Thank you for arranging this."

"It sounded important," Jacob responded his eyes still scanning Jack. "The council have granted you a short audience."

"They might need to make it a long one," Jack grunted moving out of the ring area to move towards Sam.

Jacob looked down allowing Selmak to take control. "I do not understand O'Neill, the Tokra do not have any matters to discuss with the Tauri, as you are aware our alliance is not as straight forward as it once was. It took every ounce of mine and Jacob persuasion to be granted this brief audience."

"I appreciate it Selmak," Jack told the Tokra sincerely. "But this is important, this affects them just as much as it affects Sam and me."

Jacob took back control. "The girls?" he asked nervously.

"Alice," Jack told him grimly. "Seems she has some leftovers from our times as hosts."

Jacob visibly blanched and his eyes glowed as Selmak took control of the shared body, "O'Neill, are you suggesting that Alice is a Harcesis?"

"Not suggesting, we think for sure," Jack hissed angrily, he reached to take Sam's hand seeing her downcast mortified look.

"This is indeed a concern," Selmak said quietly and raised his hand to guide the group into the council chamber. "I hope you are wrong, but you have my word that I will do all I can for Jacob's grandchild."

* * *

Ellie looked up as the doorbell rang, Miss Nestor, the lady down the street was looking after her and Alice today as she did most days when Ellie wasn't at Nursery. She liked Miss Nestor, she gave good hugs and baked nice cookies with flour and butter not just cut from the roll like Mommy did. Seeing that is was Mrs James the neighbour from across the street Ellie carefully picked up her colouring and trotted towards her bedroom. It was a bit windy outside and knowing that Miss Nestor liked to talk to the neighbours on the doorstep Ellie didn't want to get cold. As she pushed into her bedroom a strange light caught her attention and Ellie looked towards her bookcase. On the top shelf was a thin silver metal cylinder, there was usually only two lights shining on the cylinder and Ellie had never really understood what it meant, but she thought it was pretty. Now the whole surface of the cylinder was glowing, the normally yellow lights roving across the colour spectrum. Ellie dropped her pencils and colouring book, suddenly not concerned about keeping her work tidy and rushed to her bookcase to look at the pretty new light.

"Oh!" she whispered appreciatively as she held the cylinder in her small hands, the object vibrating in her hands making her arms tingle. "Wow!" she whispered in wonder.

She jumped at the sound of the front door slamming and looked back out towards the hallway surprised to hear Miss Nestor shouting from outside the house. Still holding the cylinder she moved to her doorway and peered around the corner. She froze, surprised to see Mrs James stood in the living room staring at the toys on the floor. She was holding something in her hand and Ellie knew that it was a bad thing, a gun, something that she and Alice were not allowed to touch. She took a step backwards moving to close her door so she could hide when she heard a soft cry, the sound of her sister waking up. Ellie threw open her door and rushed across the hallway into her sister's room slamming the door behind her. Alice was sat in her cot staring through the bars curiously.

"Elwie," Alice greeted her.

"Ssh," Ellie urged her pulling herself into the cot with her sister. "We hafta be quiet," her brown eyes widened at the sound of footsteps. "Quick!" She scooped her arms around Alice and tried to lift her sister out of the cot. Ellie yelped as the door opened and Mrs James stood in the doorway. The bad thing wasn't in her hand anymore and Ellie tightened her grip on Alice.

"Ellie, Alice," Mrs James walked forward a smile on her face that Ellie didn't like. "You have to come with me."

"No," Ellie winced as Alice clung to her tightly. "Where Miss Nestor?"

"She had to go," Mrs James neared the cot. "You need to come with me." The woman reached out to seize Alice and Ellie screamed.

Suddenly a bright flash of light erupted around the cot, bursting from the metal cylinder that Ellie had dropped on the mattress. The light encircled the two girls and they heard a yell as a shape was pushed away from them by the light. As the light died down Ellie gasped, Mrs James getting up from the floor by the doorway, the shape the light had pushed away clearly her. The woman looked at her angrily.

"What the hell was that, you little brat," Mrs James rushed at the cot. The light Erupted once more and the shape of Mrs James was thrown away again. The light began to clear until a loud bang sounded and the light clouded, there were three more bangs and then silence.

The light cleared and Ellie's eyes widened, Mrs James lay on the floor a pool of dark red blooming on her chest. Ellie cuddled Alice tight to her.

"Elwie," Alice whispered shrugging out of her sister's grip and raised her arms in question looking directly at the now quiet cylinder, only one yellow light glowing on the surface.

Ellie looked down at the cylinder that had just saved her and her sister and shrugged. "Mommy will know."

"Uh Oh," Alice pointed at the dying Mrs James.

"Yeah." Ellie whispered. "We need ta call Daddy, he'll make it bette.r" She took the cylinder from her sister. "You climb out Ali."

As the pair climbed out they heard the sound of sirens rushing towards the house.

"Nee naw," Alice whispered, staring at the woman on the floor.

The children jumped at the sound of their front door being kicked in a loud shout of "Police!"

"Uh Oh Elwie," Alice looked at her sister as the cylinder began to glow for a third time.

* * *

Jack could feel his anger rising, the Tokra was whispering together in a huddle and he couldn't make out a word. They had been sobered by the news of Alice, and had agreed based on the drawings and the knowledge that she had constant night terrors that she was as Sam and Jack feared a Harcesis. Beyond that there was a startling lack of consensus over how to handle what was a potentially huge threat to the remaining Tokra, one woman going as far as suggesting Alice be euthanized though this had been shouted down as soon as it was uttered by every other Tokra in the room. Even so he and he was certain Jacob could barely stand the woman who had suggested it.

"General O'Neill, this is the SGC please come in," His radio burst to life.

Palming the device Jack pushed the button to respond. "This is O'Neill."

"Sir, There has been an incident we need you to return immediately."

Jack rolled his eyes. "I'm in the middle of something, this incident better be…"

"Sir!" the voice on the radio cut him off. "There has been an incident at your home."

"What!?" Jack's swivelled to look at Sam whose eyes had drawn wide, so wide that it looked almost as if her eyes would fall out of her head.

"The local police were called to your residence following reports of gunfire, your daughters are uninjured and Sergeant Harriman has left base to collect them."

"We're on our way." Jack stood up, Sam copying his every move.

"Daniel Jackson and I will remain O'Neill and await the Tok'ra's response." Teal'c told him softly.

"Thanks T," Jack patted the Jaffa on the shoulder and bolted from the council chamber for the ring room Sam at his heels.

* * *

"Mommy!"

Sam broke into a run at the sight of her daughters in the arms of Harriman and Siler. She had been almost willing to disobey orders and break free of the base without passing medical but the thought of the possibility of bringing something awful back that could hurt her girls had made her stop. Now duly checked out she had been about to break every speed limit to get to them only to find them already on base.

"Ellie," Sam pulled her daughter from Siler's arms and held her tightly.

"Mommy my cylder made a pretty light," Ellie pointed to the bag slung over Walter's shoulder. "It goed all round us," she pointed at her sister who was nestled into Walter's torso, Alice's face resting on his shoulder. "The bad lady got hurted, the pleaseman said she died," the little girl's brown eyes widened in horror.

"The bad lady?" Jack joined the group in the hallway lifting Alice into his arms, the toddler instantly wrapping her chubby arms around his neck.

"Yes Sir," Walter nodded soberly. "The deceased was known as Cathleen James."

"From across the road?" Sam looked at Jack in shock. "What happened?"

"The Airforce has taken control of the site owing to… well you know," Walter gave Jack a sheepish look. "She died from what appears to be self-inflicted gun shots. They searched her house for a suicide note. They found surveillance equipment which was monitoring your house."

"What!" Jack tightened his grip on Alice. "Why the Hell w…"

"We believe Cathleen James was an alias Sir," Walter sighed angrily, "her prints were ran and came up as a rogue NID agent, Jenna Hess, she was one of the names listed as a Trust operative. Her 'husband' is missing Sir."

"The James' were Trust," Jack gasped looking at Sam in horror, startled that their neighbours, people who lived less than fifty feet away from them were enemies. He swore loudly.

"Daddy," Ellie admonished. "Don't say bad words."

"Sorry Ells Bells," Jack kissed Alice's head before kissing his elder daughter finally bringing his face alongside Sam's, his eyes studying her startled and confused features. "They heard what we said last night. The rat bastards are after Alice."


	4. Chapter 4

_AN - Thanks to everyone who reading. Hope you continue to enjoy. Bit more action this chapter. Let me know what you think, ;)_

Chapter 4

"Daddy?"

Jack winced at the sound of his elder daughter's sleepy voice, he had tried to sneak stealthily into the room which housed Sam and the girls so not to wake them, but the creaking table had given him away.

"Hey Ells Bells," Jack turned and slunk over to the bed. Sam had her arms welded round the girls, and even though she was asleep he could tell it was just barely, any noise too loud and she would wake. "Lets not wake up your Mom huh?" He crouched down beside the bed. "You Okay?"

"I guess," Ellie gave a soft sigh. "Where you go?"

"I went home to get some things for us," Jack nodded over to the two large holdalls on the table that had given him a way. "Can't have you sleeping in my stinky T-shirt forever," he smiled at his little girl indicated the large black T-shirt that Ellie was wearing.

"No," Ellie shook her head seriously. "I like my Dora Jammies," she looked up at her father with concern. "Did you bring them?"

"Course I did," Jack stroked her blonde hair, "and some books and your flashing trainers and your colouring."

"Cakey?" Ellie asked nervously.

Jack grinned at her concerned face and rose, moving back to the bags to pull out the worn and well-loved toy that Ellie was so concerned about. He moved back to the bed and held out the grey teddy bear. Ellie almost snatched it from his hands, pulling it into her arms and holding the toy with fierce intensity, very similarly to how her mother was holding her. "She's safe and sound, just like you."

Ellie peeled open her eyes. "I know I safe Daddy, I with you and Mommy." She sat up, dislodging her mother's arm and waking her mother. Jack winced but Sam shook her head, a mother's instinct telling her that the four year old child needed to let out what was bothering her. "Daddy, why this room got pretty walls?"

Jack smiled at innocent question and opened his arms for Ellie to climb onto his lap. Ellie curled into him, wriggling in a way that she was really too big for but Jack didn't mind. He rested his chin on her soft hair and drank in her smell. "We painted them for your Mom, when she was having you…"

"Having me?" Ellie interrupted.

"When you were inside Mommy before you were born," Jack explained patiently.

"How I ever fit inside Mommy?" Ellie asked wide eyed.

Jack chuckled and hugged her tightly. "You were a lot smaller then. You fitted into my hand when you were first born." He smiled as Ellie pulled his hand away from her middle and stared at it.

"Daddy! I never that little!" Ellie shook her head in disbelief, "but…" she trailed off and gave a soft sigh. Jack waited patiently as the little girl took several deep breathes and cast his eyes over to Sam; she was watching them, her breathing measured as if she was sleeping. "Daddy I want to be that little."

"Why?" Jack asked simply.

"I dunno," Ellie shrugged, "but I don't feel like a big girl." She paused and measured her much smaller hand in the palm of his hand. "I was scared Daddy. The lady shooted at us," she turned her head and looked up at him, "we coulda got hurted, but my cylder made a pretty light and we Ok. Daddy why the cylder do that?"

"I don't know," Jack told her honestly, "but your Mom is going to have a look at it and try and figure it out."

"Oh, so we know in a little bit," Ellie said simply, she looked up as Jack chuckled. "Mommy's the cleverest lady in the whole world Daddy."

"Maybe the universe," Jack kissed Ellie on her crown. The pair jumped as the klaxon blared into life announcing the arrival of an unscheduled off world activation. "Fercryingoutloud!" Jack muttered as Alice woke up with a startled cry.

"That's loud Daddy," Ellie bleated forcing her hands over her ears.

"I know," Jack smiled apologetically at Sam as she comforted their youngest; he grimaced as he heard the call for him to get to the gate room wanting more than anything to stay with his family. His trip to the house had been harrowing, the sight of gun damage to Alice's pretty baby girl bedroom had made him want to cry and the blood stained carpet in the hallway between the girls' bedroom had almost made him sick from the thought of what may have been. He kissed Ellie on her crown and carefully lifted her from his lap. "Ells, can you help Mommy with Ali Bongo while I go see what all the noise is about?"

"Okay," Ellie clambered back onto the bed and nestled against her mother's side her little arm coming round to rest of Alice's back. "I love you Daddy."

* * *

"O'Neill," Teal'c greeted him respectfully as Jack entered the gate room. "Selmak and Anise of the Tok'ra have joined us so that they may help Alice. I assured them that we would provide them with a space to work"

"Er sure," Jack glanced over his father in law and the scantily dressed Tokra woman who had caused him trouble nearly 5 years ago. "Help her how?"

"Perhaps we should speak in private," Selmak intoned.

"I concur," Anise spoke briskly. "I understand that your security has been breached."

"Not here," Jack indicated the base.

"Nevertheless, we would prefer to speak in private, with those that you trust O'Neill," Anise gave him a pointed look.

"We can go to my office," Jack nodded towards the briefing room window.

"Jack," Jacob spoke coming towards him. "Are the girls alright?"

"Yeah," Jack told Sam's clearly worried father. "NID scumbags posed as neighbours and then tried to grab them. Ellie's doohickie gift from Tawaret let off some kind of lightshow and saved them. They are a bit freaked out but alright, nothing a few cuddles from gramps won't fix."

"The cylinder lit up?" Daniel rushed forward having been eavesdropping the conversation. "How…what…"

"Don't hurt yourself Daniel," Jack patted his friend on the shoulder. "Sam's going to have a look at it tomorrow. There was nothing nasty coming off it though. Sam is as well as can be expected," Jack answered Jacob's unasked questions. "She's with the girls in her old room."

Jacob nodded softly and allowed Selmak to take control, "Anise owing to the late hour on this planet, I suggest we convene a meeting tomorrow afternoon with the appropriate personnel. Arrangements will need to be made."

The female operative studied Jacob for a few moments before lowering her head in acceptance. "That is acceptable. In the meantime, perhaps, I would be permitted space to set up my equipment." Anise looked at Jack, "I will require access to your power supply."

"Sure," Jack nodded. "I'll get Siler to help you out," he waved his hand in the direction of the briefing room once more hoping to move them on, "we'll sort you out a lab space." Glancing at Jacob he gave a wry grin. "You want me to take you to Sam?"

"O'Neill," Teal'c stepped forward, "I will escort Jacob Carter to Samantha's quarters." He inclined his head slowly, "Daniel," he turned to the other man, "shall advised Walter who to invite."

"Er…Sure," Jack studied the two men curiously. "I'll give you a hand Danny boy, fill me in on the big picture huh?"

* * *

Sam woke as she felt Ellie sit up, she had just barely got both girls to settle after the klaxon had sounded.

"Who you?"

Sam opened her eyes at Ellie's simple question. She hadn't heard the door open. Waking fully Sam sat upright and stared at the man in the doorway. She didn't recognise him, he was dressed like an SF but not one she placed. Sam reached for Ellie and pulled the four year old to her side, putting herself between her children and this unknown man. Her unease was growing, the visit could be completely innocent but every fibre of her being was telling her this encounter was wrong.

"I wasn't aware I granted you entry Airman," Sam said coolly. "What can I help you with at…" she paused for affect glancing at her clock despite knowing full well what time it was, "0315." She stood up, effectively blocking the children from the silent airman's view. "My daughters are trying to sleep, perhaps we should talk in the hallway." She stiffened as the airman raised his arms containing a zat gun. "Airman?" Sam's voice rose dangerously, conscious of Ellie's alarmed gasp.

"The child is coming with me."

"No she is not." Sam held her hands up, subtly shifting her position so that she could kick the zat from her attacker's hand.

"Move or I will shoot …" The man crumpled as the electrical beam of a zat passed over him.

"Samantha O'Neill," Teal'c inclined his head slowly. "Are you injured?"

"No, I'm Ok. Thank you Teal'c" Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes caught her father's frowning face behind her tall friend. "Dad!"

"Hey kiddo, guess we turned up at the right time," Jacob pushed passed Teal'c into the room. He stood beside Sam and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Everyone alright?" he asked as he stared down at Ellie and the still asleep Alice. At Sam's nod he gave a sigh of relief, "Selmak wishes to speak to you, is that Ok?"

"Yes," Sam raised her eyebrows, surprised by the question as usually her father just switched.

"Samantha," the symbiote's deep voice rang out. "Be assured, what is proposed has been designed by your father. He was concerned that something such as this would happen," Jacob's hand indicated the unconscious man. "It is not as it seems but be most assured that Alice has been designated the Tokra's upmost priority, we shall protect her with our lives."

"Gwampa," Ellie mumbled in awe as she scooted across the bed, "Your voice goed all funny, are you poorly?" the little girl jumped off the bed and immediately wrapped her arms around her mother's legs. Gripping tightly while she nervously studied the unconscious man on the floor. "Mommy, what's going on'?"

"I am not poorly," Jacob crouched down in front of his granddaughter and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm very pleased to see you," he held out his arms, reluctantly the little girl unwrapped her arms from around her mother and allowed herself to be hugged. "I missed you, but we're going to stay together for a bit, Ok?"

"Stay here?" Ellie asked indicating the room. "Daddy said Mommy stayed here, when I was in her, before I was borned."

"She did," Jacob smiled up at Sam, "but no, we will not stay here." He stood up and lifted Ellie with him. "Sam, I need you to trust me, and just go with this."

"Why?" Sam blinked back in surprise. "Dad? What's going on?"

Jacob moved over to the bag Jack had left on the side and lifted it over his shoulder. "We don't have much time," Jacob looked over at his granddaughter and crouched down, "Ellie I need to give you a piggy back, but I need you to hold on tight, ok?"

"OK?" Ellie mumbled curiously wrapping her hands around Jacob's neck. Slowly Jacob stood up and adjusted the bag and the little girl.

"Dad what is going on?" Sam asked alarmed at her father's actions.

"It has to be this way Sam," Jacob told her softly as he moved to the bed and carefully scooped Alice into his arms. Adjusting the toddler, he looked up at the stoic Jaffa and inclined his head, "I apologise Teal'c."

"No need Jacob Carter," Teal'c inclined his head and braced himself. "I will see you shortly."

Jacob nodded and quickly raised his arm, firing his Zat before Sam could react and running out of the room with the girls in his arms.

* * *

"So you're going to chair this meeting then Danny Boy?" Jack muttered running his hands through his hair with a tired sigh.

"Of course," Daniel sighed tiredly as he glanced at the clock, "I need to go but I'll see you later ok."

Jack raised his eyebrow at Daniel's odd utterance. "Wh…" As he spoke the alarm sounded, followed moments later by the base losing power. "Now what?" he looked up to see Daniel running out of the room. "What, the …" he froze as one of the Tokra who had come through the gate with Jacob appeared in the doorway. "What the hell is going on?" Jack stared at the operative daring the man to act. In the distance he heard Sam shout at her father as the gate burst into action. In seconds he was in the briefing room the operative behind him. The noise of the Zat firing did not register as the energy enveloped him, instead his mind preoccupied with the sight of Jacob Carter holding his children run up the ramp into the live gate, a screaming Sam chasing after her father through the event horizon of the gate.


	5. Chapter 5

_AN - Thanks to everyone who've read and to those who reviewed. This chapter explains what the Tokra are up to. :) Though Alice has a few surprises of her own. Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think ;)_

Chapter 5

"Jack?"

Jack peeled his eyes open with difficulty. Sam's face was hovering over his silhouetted by sunlight, he closed his eyes against the brightness.

"Jack?"

"Wha…" Jack mumbled, his head was pounding, hurting like never before.

"Jack, I need you to wake up," Sam instructed, her voice sounding like a whisper. Jack smiled as he felt her soft lips kiss his forehead.

He smiled as he felt Sam's familiar touch on his shoulder, her strong fingers squeezing his should, "mmm trn, I geee hrrr."

"Jack, wake up, I need you to wake up," Sam's soft voice called to him once more, her voice more urgent.

Jack opened his eyes again and stared blearily at his concerned wife, "Wha…" he tried again. He smiled softly as Sam stroked his cheek.

"You hit your head, Dad wants your permission to use the healing device on you," Sam told him softly. "I'm going to say yes, Ok?"

"Kay," Jack mumbled, he whimpered slightly as Sam moved away from him, her touch had made his head hurt a little less. A warm glow passed over him and the pain lessened to almost nothing, enough for him to open his eyes properly. "What happened?"

"You hit your head when you fell, there was severe concussion as you were moving at speed," Selmak's voice sounded out as the warm glow dissipated. "Sorry Jack" Jacob took over, "we needed to make it look a particular way."

"We apologise to both of you."

Jack slowly pushed himself into a seated position; looking towards the speaker he was surprised to see Anise sat on a supply case with both girls on her knees. "Where the hell are we?" He asked peering through the window of the Tel'tak to the arid forest outside.

"Tawaret's planet," Sam whispered softly, relief evident on her face that he was not badly injured.

Jack stared through the window in confusion, the last time they had been on the planet, four years ago, the area around the gate had been a dank, damp, fern covered forest, now the area, was arid and dusty, the tall trees scorched to a crisp whilst all the other foliage was gone.

"Tawaret must have been more connected to the planet then we thought," Sam told him softly as she took in his confused look. "I'll study it while we are staying here, it would be a fascinating insight into…"

"Staying here?" Jack interrupted her, "Why would we stay here? What the hell is going on?"

There was an uneasy silence as the adults looked amongst themselves, "The Tokra feel that in the interest of keeping Alice and Tokra secrets safe that we must hide," Anise spoke after an awkward pause. "Selmak, and I, along with Zanor and Diata will remain with you until such time that we can either safely remove what makes Alice a Harcesis or teach her how to control any abilities that she has." The female Tokra smiled at Alice who had turned to look at her, when she raised her eyes she fixed on Sam. "We thought it prudent to keep you safe, your father suggested this world owing to its connection to your family and the apparent secrecy. My program disabled your computer; we gated to a Tokra supply depot and travelled from there using the ship. The SGC will not know where you are" she added before Sam had a chance to query, "only Daniel Jackson and Teal'c are aware, Daniel will remain at the SGC to liaise with your officials, Teal'c shall join us with another Tel'tak vessel shortly."

"He was very keen to help," Jacob added patting Jack on the shoulder, "you feeling up to moving?"

Jack tested moving his head before giving a curt nod. "So, you effectively kidnapped my family to keep them safe?"

"Pretty much," Jacob gave him a wry smile. "I didn't think you would want to be left behind."

"You're damn right I…" Jack trailed off as Alice kicked her legs and slid out of Anise's grip. The toddler set off with purpose and striding as best a toddler could towards the doorway, the child reached as high as she could to try and reach the controls. "Ali Bongo?" Jack called out curiously as Sam jumped to her feet. "Whatcha doing?"

The little girl fixed her father with a serious gaze, "om," she pointed in a north west direction staring intently at the walls of the ship as if she could see through them.

"Home isn't over there sweetheart," Sam rushed forward to scoop up the little girl. Alice twisted in her arms and let out an indignant screech followed by a string of unintelligible baby talk. Sam tried to cuddle her daughter, smoothing her dark hair. "It's Ok Alice, calm down for Mommy," The toddler let off another stream of angry speech, flexing her legs and torso angrily against her mother, trying to get away.

Jacob chuckled, making Jack look up at his father in law in confusion. Jacob held his hand out in apology preventing the other man from speaking. "Sam used to be exactly the same, too smart for their own good. She doesn't have the words."

"Yes she does," Ellie shrugged out of Anise's grip to move into her father's arms. "Hi Daddy," she kissed him tenderly on the cheek, "you better now?"

"Yep, right as rain," Jack cuddled his daughter, "what you mean Ells Bells?"

"Alice said she used to live here," Ellie told him with an air of tiredness. "In the cave, with all the other people."

"Yep," Alice screeched and pointed at her sister. "av," she nodded seriously at her mother, "om."

* * *

Jack adjusted Alice in his arms; the toddler was sat in the crook of his arm, gleefully directing the small group. They had been walking for just over an hour, in a roughly north west direction, for the past twenty minutes that had been walking through a progressively deepening canyon that was making him nervous. "Which way now Ali Bongo?" Jack asked her softly. He couldn't help but smile as a familiar look of concentration passed across her features, yet one more thing she got from her mother. "We lost? Should we go back to the ship?" The canyon branched into two smaller canyons, the one on the right leading deeper into the rock, the one on the left sloping upwards and wider.

"No," Alice shook her head. "Down Dada," Jack lowered the little girl to the ground. "Tanks," Alice smiled at him and then strode a few feet forward, turning to study the right side of the canyon. Her short chubby fingers reached up to trace some indistinct markings in the rock. The toddler gave off an excited squeal and started to run. Before Jack had a chance to chase after her she stopped and pointed at a large fissure in the rock, just wide enough for a broad shouldered man to fit through. Alice spun round and gave the group a beaming smile.

"This it?" Jack caught up to her and peered into the blackness of the canyon. "Ya sure?"

"Yup," Alice grinned at him and then ran past him back to Jacob. "Kayra," she threw her arms around Jacob's legs and beamed up at him. "Up," she requested raising her arms. Jacob his granddaughter onto his hip and Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, "Kayra, om," the little girl whispered.

Jacob blinked in surprise. "What Alice?"

"om," Alice whispered simply and pointed towards the fissure.

"Dad?" Sam asked as she saw her father's shocked expression.

"Kayra," Jacob whispered, "She was Selmak's first host," He looked nervously at the little girl. "You remember Selmak's hosts?"

Alice gave a curt nod and pointed again at the fissure. "Go,"

"You want us to go in there?" Jack pointed at the dark cave, ignoring the concern that was radiating from his wife.

"Yes Daddy, she does," Ellie gave an annoyed sigh and marched forward dragging Sam along behind her. "Come on Mommy, we'll show the silly boy's its safe."

"Hold up Ells Bells," Jack held his arm in front of the little girl, "I'm going to take point on this."

"What point?" Ellie asked confused. Studying her father intently trying to find the point he was referring to.

"I'm going to go first," Jack explained. He glanced up at Sam and gave her a half-hearted smile, "I'd ask you to stay here…but…"

"We should all go together," Sam returned his half-hearted smile. "Ellie, will you walk behind me, and in front of Grandpa."

"Alright," Ellie rolled her eyes, "but it's gonna be fine Mommy, Alice not going to take us somewhere bad," she grinned at her little sister who nodded with determination.

"I know honey," Sam smoothed Ellie's golden hair. "Daddy and I just want to make sure it is safe."

"Alwight," Ellie sighed tiredly and took the position that her mother had requested.

Slowly the group entered the opening in the rock. The air was cold and damp, and in the distance they could hear water. Despite its initial small size the opening quickly widened so that they could walk side by side. The passageway abruptly turned, a seemingly man made change in the in the rock. Cautiously Jack led the family through, conscious that up ahead he could see the beginnings of daylight, uncertain of what he might find. As they neared the final turn in the passageway Jack held up his hand to make the others stop and slowly edged around the corner. He blinked in the brightness as he moved out from the rocky passage, and almost lowered his zat in surprise. Before him lay the remains of a community, roofless houses clinging to a gentle slope that led down to a small lake at the far side. The whole area was surrounded by dark grey rock, encircling the community and keeping it hidden from prying eyes. He scanned the ridge, tall trees reached towards the sky further concealing the community.

"Jack?" Sam called from the cave.

Jack quickly studied the nearest houses; all was still, "It's clear."

"Wow!," Ellie sounded as the rest of the group exited the cave. "Alice, you knowed this was here?" she looked back at her sister in awe.

The toddler nodded and threw her arms out to her mother. "Mama," she reached around Sam's neck and slipped into her mother's arms, "dink," she pointed towards the lake, "om," she pointed in another direction, "we go?"

"You want to go somewhere?" Sam asked as she studied the ruins of the community. She cast a bewildered look at Jack as Alice nodded ardently. "Ok sweetheart,"

Alice beamed at her before planting a sloppy kiss on Sam's cheek, "Love Mama."

"I love you too sweetheart," Sam rubbed Alice's back, more to comfort herself then the child.

"I have memory of this place," Anise spoke softly. The Tokra woman walked toward and laid her hand on the stone wall of the nearest building. "Janu lived here," she whispered with tears brimming in her eyes. "This is the place where the first hosts came from. This is part of the Tokra origin," she took a shuddering breath and looked across at Jacob. "Do you remember?"

Jacob nodded softly. "The lake is maintained by streams in and out, that should be the only other entrances to the caldera. No one should find us unless they fly directly over us," he rested his hand on Alice's back. "Good job kiddo."

"Tank," Alice smiled tiredly, resting her head on her mother's shoulder.

Jack studied the group in front of him, the Tokra operatives were looking around with dreamy eyes as their old memories resurfaced, Ellie was hopping from one foot to another with excitement and Sam stood bewildered in the middle of it, her arms filled with a yawning Alice. He tipped his head trying to consider the best way to handle the situation they now found themselves in. He was mad at Tokra for stealing them away from the comparative safety of Earth. His worry for Sam and the girls was at its zenith, anything could happen on this planet, and whilst Sam was one of the most accomplished officers he had ever served with, the girls dulled her edge. They dulled his edge. He swallowed trying to ignore the thought of what he would do if a firefight occurred with the girls nearby.

"Daddy," Ellie ran towards him breaking his reverie.

He reached out scooping the four year old into his arms. "Ellie," he held her tightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Alice's clever ain't she? Knowing this."

"Sure is," Jack agreed casting his eyes over his youngest once more. She was waning, her mouth wide in another yawn as she sagged against her mother's torso. "Looks pretty tired."

"Me too," Ellie mumbled, "but it's citing…I think," Ellie pulled his face round so that the pair of them were staring into each other's eyes. "Daddy, this a place where people live…but there no people."

"This is a place where people lived a long time ago." He paused considering his next words carefully, "they moved to live somewhere else."

"Oh," Ellie broke her intense gaze. "Ok, we shoulda brung uncle Daniel, he'd like all this," she chuckled to herself. "I should find him some rocks," she giggled again. "But we should find somewhere to sleep," she flexed her legs to indicate she wanted to go down. Jack couldn't help but smile at the look on her face as she surveyed the ruined houses around them, the expression pulled across her innocent face the carbon copy of the expression her mother wore when working out a complex equation. "Come on Daddy," Ellie started to trot towards what looked like an alleyway. "Alice said she's tired and wants to go to bed."


	6. Chapter 6

_AN - So Alice has a new secret to reveal and things are about to get a whole lot worse. Thanks to everyone who's along for the ride. Let me know what you think ;) x_

Chapter 6

Slowly Sam peeled open her eyes, her eyelids feeling like they should stay closed for a week. The floor was hard against her hip, the smooth stone pressing against the bone through her clothing. She adjusted herself slowly, aware that Ellie lay between her and Jack, the four year old giving little snores every few seconds. Alice had refused to settle in the Tel'tak vessel that now sat nestled at the base of the cliff surrounding the ruins of the village. The young girl had wanted to stay in the ruined shell of a building near what looked like the main market square. The child had even managed to sleep for longer than her usual two hour stint. As her sleep disappeared into the past Sam tensed as she realised Alice wasn't in sight.

"Jacob took Alice outside to let the rest of us sleep."

Jack's warm voice sounded hoarse. Sam looked over her shoulder up towards his face. His face was set tight, something bothering him, something other than the mess she was aware of. "Did you sleep at all?" she asked softly, knowing not to push and that if Jack needed to talk about what was bothering him he would.

"No," Jack shook his head, "didn't feel much like sleeping." He smiled weakly at her. "Sides had a phone call whilst everyone was in the land of nod. T called to check in, he's stopping off to get some supplies. He should be here in a little while," his smile warmed. "I suggested he picked up some mattresses."

"Good call," Sam grinned as she slowly pulled herself into a seated position, rubbing her hip to ease the feeling of discomfort. "I didn't hear Alice cry."

"She was fussing, Jacob was awake; he thought a walk might do her good." Jack reached and brushed the dust from the shoulder Sam had been laying on. "She seems happier here."

"Maybe she has context to her memories," Sam whispered, catching Jack's hand as he lifted it from her shoulder. She squeezed it tightly before softly kissing his fingers. "I'm glad you're Ok."

"Nothing a hand device couldn't fix," he gave her a cheeky grin. "Never know, it could have knocked some sense into me," he laced his fingers into hers. "Did Shifu have telepathy?"

"Sorry?" Sam looked at him in confusion, surprised by the sudden topic change. "I don't…why?"

Jack looked down at Ellie, his spare hand coming up to stroke her curly hair. "Something Ells Bells said earlier. She said Alice said she was tired, but Alice didn't say anything. I got me thinking about how she always translates for Alice, I figured she just understood the baby talk, but what if it's more than that," Jack looked up at Sam. "What if Alice is talking to Ellie, just we can't hear."

"Telepathy?" Sam gripped his hand tighter, "I… I… I don't know Jack" she exhaled heavily and bit her lip trying to keep her nerves in check. "We could ask her."

"We could." Jack nodded. "Do you think she woul…" he paused he eyes moving to the doorway. "Hey Ali Bongo, what ya do with Gran'pa."

"Wee wee," The toddler giggled and ran towards her family from the opening that was once a doorway.

Sam caught her, preventing the toddler from waking Ellie and cuddled the little girl tightly, kissing her daughter repeatedly making Alice giggle in delight.

"Mama," Alice chuckled as she locked her arms tightly around Sam's neck and snuggled in for a hug.

"Alice," Jack ran his hand down the toddlers back. "Do you want to sleep?" he nodded in understanding as the toddler shook her head and then buried her head into Sam's neck. "Alice can Mommy and Daddy ask you a question?" The toddler lifted her head, tilting her head in consideration, her nose wrinkling. After a long moment she gave a curt nod and looked towards Sam expectantly. "Alice," Jack rubbed the toddler's back in a soothing way, carefully studying the child's face, "can you talk to Mommy and Daddy like you talk to Ellie?" he asked the child carefully. Alice's brow creased in confusion and she looked down at her sleeping sister. Slowly one hand snaked out from its grip around Sam's neck reaching to touch her own temple and she looked up at Jack in question. "Yeah," Jack nodded. "Can you do that?"

 _"_ _Yes."_

Jack jolted slightly at the voice sounded in his head. The voice sounded like Alice's soft voice but as if she was older more mature, possibly older then Ellie.

"Alice, why have you never talked to us like this before? We could have helped you with your bad dreams." Sam asked cautiously studying her youngest child with wide eyes.

" _It's hard mommy. Your heads are always full and busy._ " Alice gave a shy smile, " _it hard to do and I can't be scared it doesn't work."_

"Why do you speak to Ellie?" Jack looked down at the sleeping four year old.

 _"_ _It's easy to make her listen,"_ Alice sighed, the only audible sound she was actually making. _"Sometimes I have things to say, but I can't say them, I don't work. She can hear my words. Sometimes I hear you,"_ Alice turned her eyes to stare at Jack intensely. _"When you think about Mommy,"_ she smiled, " _I can feel what you feel, I like that,"_ she looked towards _Sam. "I can hear you too Mommy, I like when you do sums, its fun."_

"Oy," Jack groaned dramatically, "Another brain box."

Alice giggled and wrinkled her nose in amusement. Her smile wavered and she reached up to cup Sam's face in her tiny hands, _"Are you cross?"_ the young voice sounded in her parents minds.

"No sweetheart," Sam assured the toddler, turning her head to kiss Alice's hands.

 _"_ _Ok,"_ Alice gave a relieved sigh, " _can I stop now, it's hard to make it so you can listen."_

"Yes of course," Sam shifted Alice slightly, cradling the toddler like she had when she was a tiny baby, the new revelation making her want to protect Alice all the more. She kissed Alice's crown.

"Mama," Alice's normal toddler speech sounded out loud, "love Mama," Alice snuggled into Sam's embrace, appearing to all the world to be a normal toddler.

Jack bit his lip as he watched Sam and their youngest, his anger rising as he took in the injustice of the situation. He blinked, trying to calm down. A bright light caught his eye and he looked to the left towards the pile of belongings. "What the…" he rose, jostling Ellie in the process. The little girl woke with a startled yell as Jack jumped to his feet, his zat pointing at the bag. "What kind of crap did you bring," he demanded of a sleepy looking Anise who had woken with Ellie's yell.

"Daddy, it's my cylder," Ellie told him as she clambered to join Alice on Sam's lap. "It's like it did before when it stopped the bad lady from hurtin us."

"Jack," Jacob ran back into the ruins of the house. "There is an Alkesh."

"Fercryinoutloud," Jack growled. "Let's get on the ship." Jack quickly shouldered the now glowing backpack and moved back to his family "Come on Ells Bells," he pulled the child effortlessly into his arms, adjusting her on his hip before hauling Sam to her feet. "Come on Carter move out." He shoved Sam towards the door almost too roughly, eager to get her and Alice to safety. He glanced over his shoulder at Anise and the other Tokra, but he kept moving. The sound of an explosion, somewhere near the cave entrance to the caldera made him move faster. Ellie whimpered as she buried her head in his shoulder. Her arms gripped tight around Jack's neck and Jack broke into a run, the bag banging against his hip. Jacob was beside Sam his weapon raised no matter how ineffectual a zat would be against an Alkesh. Another explosion sounded, nearer this time but not aimed at them. The Alkesh had seen the settlement, but had yet to see them. They had time. Another explosion and his feet left the ground momentarily. He stumbled as he landed only feet from the Teltak. "Ellie, go to Mommy," he practically threw Ellie into Sam's arms as he raced to join Jacob in the cockpit. "Sam get in the back. Disable the rings so they can't ring in," he called as Jacob began to press buttons on the controls. Another explosion. Big enough and close enough to make rocks fall onto the ship's hull. "Jacob."

"We are on board," Anise's deep voice sound. "We must launch, the cliff will entomb us."

"Help Sam with the rings." Selmak instructed as he forced the ship into the air.

Jack frowned as they rose, "Jake, we should be cloaked, they can see us," The Alkesh was bearing down on them.

"The cloak is not operating, the rocks must have caused damage." Jacob mumbled as his hands moved in a dance across the controls.

"We going to be able to outrun them?" Jack asked glancing over his shoulder to where Sam was trying to work and comfort the two crying girls.

"I shall do my b…" Jacob trailed off as the ship rose above the ridge of the caldera. "Holy Hannah!"

"Jacob get us out of here," Jack growled as he stared through the window of the Teltak. All around him was smoke and tongues of fire reaching up into the sky as the trees burned. "Just aim for the gate," The ship jolted as they were hit by another blast. "Jacob!"

Sam looked up from the controls as Ellie screamed as the ship was hit once more. They were rocking and rolling as Jacob tried to pilot the ship. Torn between rushing to her children and ensuring that they couldn't be boarded Sam forced herself to look back at the crystals. As she reached to move the final piece they were hit once more and a beam of electrical energy surged out of the console striking her in the chest.

Ellie screamed as she saw her mother collapse. Leaving a crying Alice, she scrambled across the rolling cargo hold of the ship to where Sam lay unmoving on the floor. As she reached her mother she forced herself to close her eyes the bright circle of light bursting out of the discarded bag on the floor and enveloping her as the back of the ship exploded away from her. Gripping hold of her mother Ellie turned her head as she heard her sister's terrified scream as the ship fell away into the burning forest. Alice falling with it. Ellie lost sight of the cargo hold as the rest of the ship started to spin, falling from the sky. Ellie screamed and threw herself across her mother's chest as the bright light enclosed her again. The ship bounced across the ground, burning trees smashing to pieces as the remains of the ship skidded to a halt.

Jack lifted his aching body off of the control console and stared at the shattered window in front of him. Smoke was all around pulling at his lungs with arid savagery. Through the broken window he could make out the smoke enshrouded outline of the gate. He could feel the heat rising around them, the flames licking closer to the ruined shell from the ship.

"Jack we have to move," Jacob pulled him up from the seat. "I'll get Sam and Ellie, go dial Earth."

Jack shook his head trying to process what Jacob had said, his body was screaming as he forced it to move, his ribs feeling like they were shattered. As he stumbled into the open doorway he froze, Jacob's words making sense, something was wrong with Sam, and he hadn't mentioned Alice. He turned back ignoring the burning embers that rained down on his back. Jacob had lifted Sam over his shoulder in a fireman's lift, Ellie latched to his leg, her face blanched white with fear.

"Alice?" Jack croaked.

"I'm sorry Jack," Selmak's voice rang out, Jacob's eyes filled with tears. "She was in the back with Anise and the others."

"No," Jack could barely speak the word as his ruined ribs closed around his compromised lungs.

"Jack, we have to go." Selmak ordered.

"I," Jack mumbled turning towards the opening, his brain telling him to move to find Alice.

"Jack O'Neill," Selmak's voice rung out once more. "I cannot carry both of you, if I must chose I will chose Jacob's daughter. Don't make me choose."

"Daddy!" Ellie ran at him, her face pinched and wet with tears, she threw herself at him, her arms clamping around his broken chest. Her fear was palpable, leaching through her trembling skin into him, and he knew, despite everything in his body telling him to run into the flames to find Alice that he had to go now, he had to lose Alice to save Ellie and Sam. He had to give up on his baby girl to make sure he didn't lose everything.


	7. Chapter 7

_AN - Thanks everyone for reading. I'm afraid the next chapter won't be posted until the end of the coming week. I have my first exam in a decade on Wednesday so I will be focusing on that than writing (the story itself is nearly done I'm on the final couple of bits so it's nearly all written, just not completely edited). Just taking a quick break having been revising for three hours. Does anyone know how to make stuff stick that would be super helpful!_

 _So now for the aftermath given the circumstances there is an appropriate level of angst, (well I think hopefully you agree :P) Let me know what you think, K8 x_

Chapter 7

"No!"

The scream shot through the fog of anesthetic that clouded his mind. He fought it, trying to awaken his body and mind as he heard his daughter yelling in anger and fear.

"I want my Daddy!"

Jack fought harder to get to Ellie, his hands coming up to pull the tube from his mouth.

"Easy, General O'Neill, take it easy" A soothing voice, the doctor, but not Janet, the new one, he wanted it to be Janet. "Don't fight, you've had surgery. Everything is OK."

He managed to open his eyes and stare blearily up at the blurry shapes that hung over him. He tried to say his daughter's name but the tube in his throat was in his way.

"Ellie is fine," The doctor told him soothingly "She just doesn't like being separated from you or Sam." Jack tensed, making a pain rip through his chest, the feel of pulling stitches and wired bones. "She's Ok, General," Jack tried to move, he had to get to Sam, a hand placed on his bandaged sternum was all it took to prevent him from moving. "Jack, Sam's OK, she's right here." He turned his head. Sure enough Sam lay in the bed beside him her eyes closed in sleep but no monitors attached to her.

"hrrr?" Jack tried to speak.

"She's not hurt" the doctor kept her hand in place, keeping him on the bed "There are no lasting effects from the surge or the crash."

"Wrrrhh sllee" Jack tried to speak once more.

"She's sedated," The doctor told him softly. She looked away as if unable to say it, unable to give the reason why Sam had needed sedation. It hit him. Alice. Sam was sedated because she had been hysterical because Alice was gone. "I'm sorry Jack." There was a loud crash from the corridor outside followed by screams, Ellie was evidently throwing some kind of tantrum at being kept away from her parents who she so desperately wanted. "Shall I remove the tube and then we can let Ellie in?" Jack nodded. "Ok,"

Jack fixed his eyes on Sam as the medical staff buzzed around him. She looked so restful in her chemical induced slumber, but he knew the pain, it was already eating him up. She had woken up to a waking nightmare, one in which their baby girl was gone. He grimaced as the tube was pulled from his throat, gagging and spluttering which made his chest feel like it was splitting apart. "I want Ellie," he ordered.

"Alright," the doctor agreed "but I don't want her on the bed. You just completed surgery, your ribs are fragile."

"I want my daughter," he ordered once more.

The doctor surveyed him stoically for a few moments before slipping out of sight. Jack turned his eyes back onto Sam, desperately wanting to reach out to her, to hold her in his arms.

"DADDY!" Ellie ran into the room, Daniel three steps behind her. She skidded to a halt, her eyes widening as she fully took in the injuries her father had sustained. "Oh Daddy."

"I'm Ok Ellie," Jack held his hand out to her, wincing as he did.

"Daddy you're all poorly," Ellie stared at him, her red tearstained face draining of colour.

"I'm Ok," Jack repeated, "Ells Bells, I'm OK."

"It's alright Ellie," Daniel whispered softly as he gently lifted the terrified child into his arms. Slowly Daniel walked towards Jack. Taking the other man's outstretched hand he squeezed it gently hoping that Jack understood everything he wanted to communicate through the nonverbal gesture. "See Ellie, he's Ok, I'm much bigger then you and I didn't hurt him." Ellie looked uncertainly at Jack's bandaged chest. "How about I hold you, but you kiss Jack, you won't touch him, just your lips."

"Kay," Ellie mumbled, her terror filled brown eyes brimming with tears. She tensed as Daniel carefully tipped her forwards, her lips just grazing Jack's brow. She squeaked slightly as Jack's arm snaked around her pulling her towards the bed.

"Jack," Daniel warned, as he fought to hold onto the little girl.

"Daniel I got her," Jack pulled Ellie onto the bed. "I'm fine. I just need her," he positioned Ellie, the terrified child stiff as a board. "Ells Bells it's OK, you won't hurt me. I won't let you," Jack told her, lying through his teeth as his chest screamed in agony. But he needed her, he needed to hold her in his arms. "Ellie I'm OK."

"Daddy," Ellie whimpered curling into him and hugging him with all her might. "I thinked you and Mommy were going to go away."

"We're fine," Jack rubbed her back soothingly. "We're not going to go away."

"Alice goed away," Ellie whimpered. "I left her coz I wanted Mommy, and Mommy was hurted. She fell. Daddy, Alice fell into the fire," the little girl burst into tears, burying her face into his broken chest her whole body shaking with the force of her tears. "I sorry Daddy."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Ellie," Jack held her tighter. "Absolutely nothing!"

"Can I stay with you?" Ellie whispered. "I want to stay with you Daddy."

"Yes Ells Bells," Jack kissed her crown. "You stay with me."

* * *

Daniel slumped into the seat beside Jacob Carter. The other man looked how he felt, exhausted, bewildered and devastated. The past few hours had been nonstop awfulness, from the moment Jacob had stepped through the gate with Sam over his shoulder a terrified Ellie and a barely moving Jack, through Jack's surgery and the aftermath. Worst of all had been Sam's awakening and Jacob having to tell her about Alice. Daniel had seen her upset before, he'd seen her barely coping, but that had been something else. She had crumpled and made a noise that was most unearthly noise he had ever heard, a noise that sounded as if her soul had been physically shattered and her body couldn't take it. Jacob had had to physically restrain her in the moments after as she had desperately tried to leave the room to get to the gate to prove everyone wrong. Daniel was glad they had sedated her, because he wasn't actually sure that he could have stopped Sam had Jacob not been there. What would happen when she came out of her chemically induced sleep he did not know.

The door to Jack's office opened and a downcast George Hammond stepped out with manila folder in his hand. With a heavy sigh the man slumped into his old seat. "Alice's death has been formally registered. I've had the news cast wide. Hopefully that will be it and they…" he trailed off and looked down at his folder. "I am sorry Jacob."

"It's Ok George," Jacob mumbled. Slowly he lowered his head allowing Selmak to take over. "I am deeply saddened by what has occurred with Jacob's family. I am afraid however that Jacob and I have been recalled by the council. They feel that now the threat that Alice's abilities posed have been nullified, I must be redeployed. They are floundering following Anise's death. We must also find how they found us." Selmak's clenched Jacob's fists "There is clearly a leak that must be found and plugged."

"What about Sam, she's going to need Jacob?" Daniel frowned.

"I understand that," Selmak bowed his head and Jacob took over once more. "I'm sorry Daniel. I'll do what I can to stay nearby. At the very least I must shut down Anise's lab."

"I get that Jacob but your granddaughter has jus…" Daniel's eyes bulged as Jacob was suddenly beamed out of the room. "Er…" Daniel raised his eyebrows at General Hammond. "We weren't expecting the Asgard were we?"

"No," General Hammond shook his head. "I'm going to call the infirmary and see if anyone else is missing."

* * *

Ellie stared around the dark chamber in surprise. Moments earlier she had been laid on a bed next to her sleeping father and now she was sat on the cold red floor of a huge chamber. There was a huge window overlooking the big black infinity of space at one edge and Ellie jumped up in awe.

"Ellie?" Jacob called to her from the other end of the chamber as she moved making herself known.

"Granpa, we in space!" Ellie turned to her grandfather.

"We are," Jacob confirmed to her. "Come and sit by your Mom and Dad."

"They here?" Ellie ran towards Jacob's voice. "Where is we Granpa? Why is it so dark?"

"This is an Asgard vessel," Jacob lifted the child into his arms and held her close. "Your Mom and Dad are right here," Jacob nodded down at the two pallets containing Jack and Sam.

"Mommy's eyes moved," Ellie hissed as studied her mother. She wriggled out of Jacob's grip landing on the floor with a thud and threw herself on the soft white pallet that Sam lay upon. "Mommy!" She snuggled in close, her face inches from her mother's. "Mommy, you awake, Mommy!" Sam made a grunting noise as she came out of her sedation, her arms instinctively coming around her daughter before her brain allowed thought and feelings to awaken. Ellie snuggled tightly in her mother's warm embrace, burying her face in her mother's chest and gripping her mother's arms with fierce intensity.

As she did a set of doors opened sending a shaft of light into the chamber. "Ellie O'Neill, Jacob Carter." Teal'c greeted them as he entered the room.

Ellie peeled her face away from Sam chest and looked up at the tall man. She opened her mouth to greet her honorary uncle when a noise sounded from further within the ship. The sound of crying. The sound of an injured, terrified child crying. "MOMMY!" Ellie yelled in surprise, "MOMMY! IT'S ALICE!"

Sam opened her eyes fully, her conscious mind pushing through the fog of drugs. Alice was crying and Ellie was screaming at her, shaking her awake. Alice was crying. Alice was crying. But Alice was…crying. Sam sat up Ellie still in her arms. She couldn't move properly, didn't feel strong enough, but she had to. She had to get to Alice. She stood up uneasily. Jack at her side. No, not Jack, Dad, Teal'c. They tried to take Ellie but she held on. She needed them both. She needed her girls. She stumbled towards the light towards the noise, towards Alice.

"Sam."

Jack's voice made her stop. He was moving gingerly from where he had been laying. Moving at a snail's pace, but moving none the less. After what seemed like an eternity he reached her and wrapped his arm around Sam's waist, Ellie sandwiched between them. Together they stumbled forward, shambling into the light of the corridor, following the sound of the crying. It was only one door along. The door was open allowing them to see in. Teal'c was trying to speak to them, trying to hold them back and to take Ellie, trying to prepare them for what they were about to see. He barely registered, all that mattered was that Alice was crying. They moved into the doorway and froze as they took in the sight of three Asgard moving around a bed, a bed which contained the fragile broken body of their little girl. Allowing them to see that whilst Alice was badly burnt and broken she was still alive.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN - Hey everyone, thanks for reading so far. The exams are over so full steam ahead. Somewhat fortuitously one of the questions was a CW option which was to draft 2 conversations between 2 adults about a child who had a nightmare :) fingers crossed on that one. Anyway. I do apologise for the first part of this chapter, you'll see why but, it will all work out ;) Let me know what you think Kate x_

Chapter 8

Sam's knees buckled as she took in the extent of Alice's injuries. The child on the bed barely looked like her daughter, she barely looked human. her skin was blackened and charred in places while the rest was red raw, the under layer of flesh showing through, her features and fingers were melted and fused, her hair burnt away. Sam wasn't sure what she wanted to do, her brain was so conflicted. She wanted to run forward and scoop Alice into her arms, yet at the same time she wanted to turn and run away. Bile was rising in her throat and the thought flashed across her mind that perhaps it would have been better for Alice to be dead then have to live with the horrific life altering injuries she had. Sam finally allowed Teal'c to lift Ellie out of her arms, preventing the four year old from seeing her younger sister in such an appalling state. She was aware of Jack's arm holding her tightly, but like her he seemed unable to move, unable to process what they saw before them.

They gasped in surprise as one of the Asgard seemed to fly across the room. Alice's screams intensified and the other two Asgard stepped back in apparent fear.

"O'Neill, Samantha," Thor greeted them solemnly as he appeared from behind them. "I am sorry to see you again under such circumstances."

"Thor," Jack croaked a greeting, "Al…" his voice faltered and he gestured towards his daughter instead.

"We had hoped to heal Alice of her injuries before we came for you," Thor turned to stare at the broken child on the bed. "Unfortunately she awoke before we could treat her. Her fear and pain is causing her to use her abilities without thought. We have a treatment but we need to apply sedation and the treatment is topical. She is preventing us from doing this." Thor looked sadly up at them. "I apologise that you must see her like this, but be assured our treatment will heal her fully."

"Fully?" Sam mumbled through tears.

"Yes," Thor nodded intensely. "I am afraid we need your assistance in gaining Alice's trust and permission to approach and treat her."

"I got this," Jack took a step forward, putting himself closer to Alice. "Sam go outside, I got this."

"Jack, she… Jack," Sam's face crumpled as Alice gave another scream of agony.

"Sam I got this, you don't need to see any more of this," Jack told her forcefully. "Go outside and look after Ellie. Go," he kissed her forehead, his lips tracing her furrowed brow trying to sooth the worry from her. "Sam." She hesitated her wide eyes fixed on Alice and Jack took a deep breath "Carter get out. That's an order."

Numbly Sam took a step backwards and stumbled out of the room. With a heavy sigh Jack turned to Thor who was watching him from below, the alien's seemingly expressionless face showing deep concern. "What do I need to do?"

"Speak to her, get us to allow us to approach," Thor held his arm out. "While you speak with her I will have a clinician attend to your injuries." The small alien padded to as near to Alice as he dared and pointed towards a small stool. "Please sit O'Neill."

Jack sank into the low seat with a wheeze of pain. He was just within reach of Alice and slowly he reached out his hand moving towards her. "Ali Bongo."

"Daa?" Alice whimpered in fear, moving her ruined arms in his direction which made her cry with further pain.

"I can't pick you up Alice," Jack told her softly, "but I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," he placed his hand beside her head. "My friends here, they want to make you better. As soon as you are better I can pick you up." He looked over at the two hesitant Asgard and nodded his head giving them permission to approach and do their work. "You're my big brave girl Ali Bongo, and Daddy is right here. Daddy's not going anywhere."

* * *

"Mommy!" Ellie ran at her mother as Sam stumbled into view. "Mommy, you OK?" She threw her arms tightly around her mother's waist.

Sam's knees trembled to jelly and she sank to the floor her arms enveloping her older daughter as tightly as she could.

"S'Ok Mommy," Ellie kissed Sam's cheek tenderly. "Uncle Teaulk said that the Doctors gonna make Alice all better. He promised."

"Samantha O'Neill," Teal'c moved to kneel beside her. "Do you require anything?"

"I…" Sam stammered before shaking her head. Teal'c inclined his head towards her but remained knelt beside her.

"Teal'c?" Jacob moved to stand on the other side of Sam flanking her with support should she do as she appeared she would and collapse. "I still don't understand, how did this come about?"

Teal'c pursed his lips contemplating how to answer. "I had arrived at the planet; I saw the ship go down. I was certain that everyone in the rear of the ship had perished but the sensors detected a life sign. I was able to find a suitable place to land. Through the fire and debris I could see movement. It was Alice O'Neill. I knew with her injuries that Earth would not be the best place for her. So I came to the race that I knew could perform the seemingly miraculous."

"You saved her," Sam mumbled. "Thank you."

"It is nothing," Teal'c bowed his head. "Her survival is all down to Alice O'Neill's strength. Strength she has gained from you and O'Neill," He studied the awkward position that Ellie and Sam were entwined into. "Perhaps you would be more comfortable on the pallet?"

Sam shook her head, not certain that she could control her body enough to move. Slowly she snaked her arm away from Ellie to rest on Teal'c shoulder, silently thanking him for all that he had done.

"You very brave uncle Teaulk," Ellie lifted her head from Sam's shoulder. "It was really scary."

"You also are very brave Ellie O'Neill," Teal'c gently placed his large palm on Ellie's back. "I have the benefit of age."

Ellie nodded her head, not entirely certain what benefit of age meant. The little girl made to return her head to the comfortable position on Sam's shoulder. Instead she let out a large gasp as she stared into the open doorway and the small figure that stood there. "Mommy what is it?"

Thor padded quickly into the room, "I am Thor," he stopped near to the small group but kept a distance so not to startle the child further. "I am Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet."

"Oh," Ellie mumbled with wide eyes, she turned herself in her mother's arms to properly study the small alien in front of them. "Thor what is you?"

Thor blinked slowly, "I am a member of one of the preeminent races of the galaxy, The Asgard. The Asgard race protects planets such as Earth. By classification of your race I would be considered an alien."

"Oh," Ellie sighed heavily as she tried to understand the big words the small being in front of her was using. "I don't think I ever meeted a alien before. Thor why you not got any clothes on?"

"Ellie," Sam found her voice, the little girl's innocent questions drawing her from her shock and back into a more cohesive mood. "Thor is helping Alice," She blinked in surprise as Ellie jumped up, out of her arms.

"Oh thank you Thor!" Ellie threw her arms around the small alien, their heights nearly comparable. Thor blinked in surprise and froze as Ellie hugged him tight. Ellie released him and kissed him on his grey cheek and stepped back smiling at him. "Thank you Thor for helping my sister."

Thor looked at the floor in a manner that could be construed as embarrassment. "You are most welcome offspring of O'Neill."

"No," Ellie shook her head. "I'm Ellie O'Neill, not offspring." She jumped as Teal'c chuckled. "What I say?" she looked at the tall man.

Teal'c stood up and lifted the child into his arms, thereby protecting Thor from anymore hugs. "Your innocence gives me great delight."

"Is that a good fing?" Ellie asked carefully. Her eyes fixed on Thor as he approached her mother.

"It is," Teal'c bounced her. "Come, we shall look at the stars, I believe Thor wishes to converse with your mother."

Sam watched Teal'c move away with Ellie before turning to face Thor, who in her seated position she was at eyelevel with. "I am sorry about the hug Thor. Ellie doesn't understand."

"There is no need for apology," Thor told her quietly, "it has been a long time since I encountered a child. I confess to forgetting about childhood exuberance." He took a step forward and leaned in closer to whisper conspiratorially. "Though as she is a child of General O'Neill it should come as no surprise," Thor appeared to rock on his heels as if to show amusement. "I came to advise you that my team have applied the treatment to Alice and she is responding. It shall take a few hours before she is fully healed. I therefore wished to offer you sustenance…Tauri sustenance," he added as an afterthought. "I can procure anything you require."

"Thank you Thor," Sam told him sincerely "I can't think about food right now, but I'm sure Ellie will be hungry soon. Perhaps some bread and fruit" she reached her hand out to Thor, allowing the fragile alien to take her hand into his. "Thank you for everything Thor. I can't even articulate how much this means to us."

Thor bowed his head before gently releasing her hand. "You have no need to thank me Samantha, this is the very least I could do for a friend."


	9. Chapter 9

_AN - Thanks for reading guys, as I said sorry about that part in the last chapter, but here is the outcome. Let me know what you think, K8 x_

Chapter 9

Sam stroked Ellie's face softly as her daughter gave a little whimper in her sleep. While Ellie was coping remarkably well with everything, no doubt the past few days had left their mark on her just as it had with herself. Sam knew that Jack had been right to send her out of the medical room away from Alice. It given her space to bring her own mind back together, and as much as Alice needed her, there was little she could do, and Ellie needed her just as much. Jack had always been the stronger one in that respect, always been better at pushing down his feelings. He was no doubt sat stoically while she would have been a blubbering mess. With Ellie she had counted the stars through the vast window and stared down at the blue marble that was Earth. Her daughter's awe and wonderment at where she was had pulled Sam's brain a fraction away from the concern for Alice. Now lying snuggled together, they could just be in Ellie's bedroom lying on her own bed, as if nothing had happened. Sam sighed and readjusted her position to prevent her arm beneath Ellie from falling asleep. Teal'c and Jacob had retreated to a distant corner to give her and Ellie space and the room was mostly silent. She couldn't hear anything from outside the chamber, including crying. The ship seemed at sleep, and she hoped that Alice was unaware of any further treatment she had to endure.

* * *

Jack nodded his head in thanks as the Asgard clinician moved away from Alice's bed. The child on the bed, looked almost identical to how she had before she was injured, her skin smooth and pink, injury free. The only difference before the injuries and now was that she had no hair, which given her doctors he wasn't surprised had been overlooked.

"Er," Jack waved his hand to get the attention of the head Asgard clinician. They had told him their names but his over stressed over tired brain could not remember them. Movement was easy now as they had also fixed his ribs and it was a pleasant experience to be able to breathe free and clear once more. "So she's fine now, we don't need to do anything?"

"Of course, our treatment has fully healed her." The Asgard doctor told him in a clipped manner.

"Her hair, is it going to grow back?" Jack asked softly, knowing that hair was a sticky subject when it came to girls.

"It shall. She shall awaken shortly." the doctor nodded his head curtly. "Is that all?"

"Yeah," Jack nodded. "Thanks" There was so much more he wanted to say to thank the Asgard doctors for what they had done but, but they appeared totally nonplussed by the idea of his thanks; Though perhaps this mostly because of the problems that Alice had given them in the beginning.

"O'Neill," Jack turned in his seat at the sound of Teal'c voice. "I see Alice O'Neill is much better" Teal'c smiled softly as he studied the child, his arms clasped behind his back. "As are you?"

"Yup," Jack nodded. "Could do with some of their med tech at the SGC. Not one needle."

"How fortunate for you," Teal'c lips pulled into a smirk. "Samantha and Ellie O'Neill are sleeping. Jacob Carter remains to watch over them."

"That's good," Jack rubbed his eyes. "They say she'll be waking up soon. Thank you T, for bringing her."

Teal'c inclined his head accepting Jack's thanks. "I am glad that Alice O'Neill is now well. However, we must decide on our next strategy. Jacob Carter informs me that Alice O'Neill has been registered deceased. I think it wise that remains in place."

Jack blinked back his surprise at the news that his daughter had been declared dead without his or Sam's consent. "What do you have in mind?"

"There is no denying that Alice O'Neill is a child of you and Samantha, O'Neill. I am also aware that apart from a few neighbours you do not socialise much outside the base. I think it is best that you move your family to another location," Teal'c told him seriously. "You would be safer."

"That's great T, but how does that help with Alice, I mean they are going to figure it out." He rolled his dark eyes "Whoever _they_ are?"

"Indeed," Teal'c nodded ardently, "but for that I have a secondary plan that I must discuss with Thor." Teal'c tipped his head, "but for now I shall get Samantha O Neill, I believe that Alice O Neill is awakening."

Jack jumped to his feet as Alice's eyes fluttered open. "Alice? Ali Bongo?" he hovered over his daughter.

"Dada," she instantly shot out her arms, requesting to be lifted up. A request Jack gladly complied with.

"See," Jack hugged his fully healed daughter close to him. "I told ya I would hold you when you were better." Alice nodded against his chest. The differing sensation of her scalp against his clothes instead of her hair made her reach up to touch her bald head, a little yelp of surprise escaping from her mouth. "It's Ok Alice it will grow back. But I'll tell ya what. Daddy will shave his head so that we can be same."

"As will I." Teal'c offered.

"Think we can convince Uncle Daniel?" Jack bounced the little girl eliciting a giggle from her. "I reckon we can." He pulled Alice in for a tight hug. "I love you Alice."

"Love Dada," Alice hugged him tightly in return. "Mama?"

"Mommy is looking after Ellie, but I'm sure Uncle Teal'c will go get her for you," Jack looked up at Teal'c. "Thanks T."

Jack cradled his daughter in his arms gently rocking her from side to side.

 _"Daddy,"_ Alice's other voice sounded in his head. " _I'm so happy you are here. I was scared and it hurt."_

"I know," Jack kissed her bald crown tenderly. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you from that".

 _"It's OK Daddy. It wasn't you."_ Alice snuggled in tightly to his chest. " _I think Mommy is coming."_

Jack looked up as he perceived the thumps of Sam's boots as she ran down the corridor. "I reckon so too." Jack smiled. "I'll give ya lots of hugs later, OK. But I think we gotta let Mommy have a hug."

"Kay," Alice muttered and straightened up. No sooner as she done that Sam burst through the open doors. "Mama," Alice threw her arms out to greet her.

"Alice," Sam skidded to a halt and dropped to her knees her arms coming round Alice and Jack, enveloping their daughter between them. "Oh my baby girl."

* * *

"You're kidding!" Jack stared at Thor in surprise. "You want to age her up!"

"A Time dilation device," Sam mumbled looking down at Alice.

"The suggestion is, that by allowing 6 years to pass inside a time dilation field that Alice will be removed from suspicion, and you may be able to life your lives in as normal manner as possible." Thor told the stunned couple.

"Sure you betcha. Just like that she's eight years old, no one is going to ask any questions over that!" Jack rolled his eyes.

"It is for this reason O'Neill that I suggested you moving neighbourhoods," Teal'c added.

Sam looked down at Alice, the thought of her daughter suddenly being eight years old filling her with dread. It was too much time to miss. Too much of the best time. Her hands tightened reflexively around Alice and the little girl squirmed.

 _"Mommy!"_ Alice's voice sounded in her head. _"Don't squeeze me!"_ Sam looked down alarmed " _Mommy I know you are scared, but I shall be OK. Uncle Teal'c is right. If we move no one will know. It's only people from your work and they won't tell. If I'm 8 I won't be suspicious anymore,"_ The little girl gave a shy smile and turned towards Thor. " _We should do it."_

"Alice has consented," Thor gave a curt nod.

"She's not even 2," Jack protested looking from Thor to Alice and back again with such speed he felt like his neck would snap.

"That may be the case O'Neill, but your child is the most intelligent and advanced individual on this ship," Thor moved towards a new console. "She is more aware of what is at stake then you give her credit for."

"Dada," Alice held her arms up to her father and waved shyly at him. "Be Kay," she told him softly but with her strange mature telepathy added. _"Trust me."_

* * *

Sam folded a set of pink leggings into a drawer and sighed heavily. A bay of Thor's ship had over the last few hours been turned into a mini apartment. Teal'c had been back to Earth and seemingly bought out an entire flat pack furniture store in a mixture of eclectic styles and colours. The bay was awash with mismatching furniture as one by one and with much swearing, Jack, Teal'c and Selmak struggled to put the items together. Thor had appeared for a few minutes and watched with interest. Sam was sure he could get the items put together in moments with his ship, but instead had tipped his head at the sight in a manner Sam could read as amusement before excusing himself to work on the time dilation device. Slowly the new home was taking shape, there was a small central living area, a study area, a bathroom and two small bedrooms, one for Alice and one for her father. Selmak had been insistent that it be her and Jacob that spend this time in the dilation field with Alice. Jacob as her Grandfather and Selmak from being one of the eldest Tokra, the symbiote felt that she would be most suitable to guide Alice through her new found abilities. The time in the bubble would be six years and 8 months, thereby making Alice old enough that she would have been born 6 weeks before Sam joined the SGC. In real time only seven hours would pass, but those seven hours would change everything. Her youngest child would become her oldest, and her baby would be a child. She lifted the final pair of leggings out of a box labelled 2 and sighed once more. This would be the last time she ever held any item of clothing this small.

"Oh!"

Sam turned away from the drawers at the sound of Alice's soft utterance. "Hello sweetheart", Sam smiled weakly. "Do you like you're room?"

"Yup," Alice nodded her bald head and scampered over to wrap her arms round Sam's legs. "Mama"

Sam lifted Alice into her arms and cuddled the child tightly. "You've got your big girl bed here," she pointed Alice towards the small child sized bed in the corner. "And there is space for your toys and books here."

"Mama, no sad," Alice shook her head before reaching to cup Sam's cheeks. "Good," she nodded intently.

"I know," Sam kissed her youngest. "Mommy is just a little sad that I'm going to miss seeing you becoming a big girl, and that I have to be outside. But you remember Mommy and Daddy and Ellie and everyone loves you more than the whole universe! I will love you from the moment it exploded into being, until the moment that it collapses to nothing."

Alice nodded happily and rested her head on Sam's shoulder. "Love Mama," she muttered snuggling her head into the curve of Sam's neck. "Miss"

Instinctively Sam dropped her own head onto Alice's and gave a soft sigh. A quiet knock sounded on the thin wall, Jack trotted in without waiting for permission to enter. "This is where you got to," he grinned at the pair, acting as if nothing was wrong but Sam could tell he was just as bothered as she was. "Selmak and Thor are ready." Sam nodded weakly and with leaden feet followed Jack out into the living area. "Now you kiddo," Jack forcibly lifted Alice out of Sam's arms, "be good for ya Granpa, ok?" he handed Alice to Jacob and turned back to Sam, taking her trembling hand into his and holding it in a vice like grip. "Ya Mom and me are going to be right outside," he stepped in close and kissed Alice on her bald brow. "We'll see you soon. We love you," Alice nodded her head and with a shuddering sigh buried her face in Jacob's shoulder.

"We shall begin O'Neill," Thor took charge. "I will constantly monitor the situation." The tiny alien moved forward raising his arms in a manner to usher Sam and Jack from the room.

"We're good Sam," Jacob assured his daughter as his granddaughter began to cry softly. "We'll be fine."

"Of course," Thor practically pushed Jack out the room. "I shall see you shortly Jacob Carter." Without further ado the doors shut as Thor looked across at the two forlorn faces. "I have provided Jacob Carter with one of your Tauri recording devices. He shall record key moments of Alice's development," the small alien raised his arm, reaching as if to touch Sam's arm, but at the last moment withdrew and looked towards the floor, his large head bobbing. "I shall activate the dilation device." He swiveled on his heels and moved away with surprising speed, leaving Sam and Jack in front of a closed doors their life about to change forever once more.


	10. Chapter 10

_AN - Thanks everyone. Penultimate chapter, hope you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think._

Chapter 10

The pattern on the door was almost hypnotic, he had been staring at it for so long that his eyes were swimming. The floor of the corridor had moved from tolerable to deeply uncomfortable to strangely comfortable as his body fell asleep. Five hours was a long time to sit still, now the only thing that Jack really felt was his arm around his sleeping wife and her soft warm breath onto his chest. He was pleased Sam had fallen asleep even if it was only for a short time. The stress of the past, what was it 36 hours, had been immense, so immense he wasn't even sure how long it had been. The strange constantly regulated light of the Asgard ship did nothing to indicate the passing of time, and with his body running on adrenaline the only way he had of telling was Ellie's needs. Sam moved a fraction and Jack froze, hoping that she would stay asleep but it was a wasted hope.

"How long?"

"Bout an hour I guess," Jack rubbed her arm reassuringly. "How you feeling?"

"Like I could sleep for a week," Sam yawned and rolled her face into his chest before lifting her face and resting her chin on his pectoral muscle and looked up on him. "Did you sleep at all?" Jack shook his head "Where is everyone?" Sam asked reaching to brush her hand through his hair.

"Teal'c went back to the SGC with Ellie to get some food. She didn't want bread and Thor's food was not to her taste." Jack smiled weakly, "Thor would like to try playdoh."

"She told him it tasted of playdoh," Sam sighed with faint embarrassment.

"It's cool. I don't think Thor really understood what she was on about," Jack smile widened. "He wasn't surprised either, given your lack of interest in Asgard cuisine" He quirked his eyebrows at her to relay his joke. "T's going to get some housing info, or at least get Daniel or Walter on it. Hopefully they can manage that."

"Hopefully," Sam sighed heavily. "I've been thinking."

"I would question it if you ever stopped," Jack kissed her brow. "So what has the super computer been mulling over."

Sam swatted him playfully and then bit her lip, "You know what you said after Ellie's last birthday party," at Jack's blank look she continued. "About being too old for this and maybe we should do something about it," she raised her hand and making a motion of scissors. "I think we are going to have to do that."

Jack swallowed, "I didn't think of that," he tightened his arm around her, "but we didn't…we weren't…" he frowned trying to digest what Sam was implying. Alice was a Harcesis so any other children would be. He gave a sigh and forced a smile on his face. "I guess we should look into that but on the plus side you hated being pregnant, especially when you had to do the whole thing, everyone fussing and you not being able to kick butt. You said it was gross. I mean I thought you looked like some kind of goddess, like the good kind, not a snake head kind, not that I know anything from change your mind that you thought you looked like a whale but you know masculine pride and all that." He smile relaxed into one of affection. "You're always beautiful to me, even when I don't understand a word that comes out your mouth."

Sam giggled tearfully and pushed her face into his chest, kissing him through his shirt. "Oh come on Jack, you understand more then you give yourself credit for." She looked up at him with a soft smile. "Where do you think Ellie gets her love of Astronomy from? She was telling me all about Orion earlier. That was you. All I think about is effective means of blowing stars up."

"Best of Both," Jack mumbled recalling the description on the statue that had begun the journey he was on nearly five years ago.

A sound of an Asgard beam made Sam lift her head away from Jack's chest to look up at a beaming Ellie and Teal'c holding a tray of food. "Hello sweetheart."

"Hi," Ellie grinned at them. "We getted you some food. I had nuggets, but I got you sandwiches, chips and blue jello." the four year old pointed up at the tray. "We also getted cake. But it's for Alice Daddy," Ellie gave her father a pointed look, "Coz she's gonna have missed her birthdays." The child gave her parents a beaming smile and then tipped her head, studying her parent's position entwined together on the floor. "Oh we interrupting Uncle Teaulk. Mommy and Daddy are having alone time."

"We're just waiting Ells Bells," Jack held his hand out. "It's comfy like this, that's all."

"Alright," Ellie scampered across to her parents and dropping to her knees slid across the polished floor. The child giggled, "I like space ships Daddy," she gave a soft sigh, "but we gonna go once we gived you the food. So you can be here for Alice."

"You can stay Ellie," Sam told her daughter, reaching to cup the little girl's cheek.

"No Mommy I gotta go," Ellie nodded her head seriously. "It needs to all be OK. You'll come back when it's OK. And if you're Ok I'll be OK," she smiled widely. "Sides, I need to tell the men what we need in our house." She leaned in conspiratorially, "they not good at these things."

"OK," Sam chuckled. "I want a nice kitchen."

"Sure!" Ellie giggle, "You betcha! I'm on it!" the little girl gave a mock salute and then collapsed onto her parents giggling.

Jack hauled her into more comfortable position for him and gave her a quick kiss. "You tell em Ell's Bells. We'll be back soon and I'll need a progress report."

Ellie nodded her head in understanding and scrambled to her feet. She skipped a few paces back towards Teal'c before turning back to her parents "You'll hug Alice and say it's from me Tell her I love her?"

"Of course," Jack nodded seriously. He nodded his head in thanks at Teal'c who placed the tray of food wordlessly on the ground beside him. "We'll see you soon." He smiled back as Ellie gave a small wave as she and Teal'c were beamed from the ship leaving he and Sam alone once more to wait.

* * *

The door slid open. Sam and Jack scrambled to their feet. Thor had just finished telling them over the intercom that he was deactivating the field and now 2 seconds later the door was sliding open.

"MOMMY!" an ecstatic yelp sounded across the hall. A small shape darted across the corridor before Sam and Jack had time to register what their daughter even looked like now. Sam gasped as the air was knocked out of her as Alice rammed into her with exuberant force. Her daughter now a 4 foot five inches tall child. Alice's face buried into her chest, thin arms gripping tightly around her and Sam's arms followed suit, wrapping tightly around her now much older daughter.

"Hair grew back," Jack broke the moment with a jokey ruffle of Alice's long dark brown hair. The child lifted her head from her mother's chest and smiled happily at her father, shaking her long brown hair back into position and allowing her parents full view of her face for the first time. Jack swallowed as he took in his daughter's features. She looked like a mini Sam just with his brown eyes and dark hair. She was even more beautiful than the tiny child she had been seven hours ago. "Hey Ali Bongo we missed you."

"I missed you too," Alice's smile wavered.

"Alice?" Sam asked nervously, keeping her grip tight around the child.

"You can't call me Alice anymore," Alice sighed heavily. "Grandpa and I have discussed this at length. Haven't we Pop pop?"

"We have," Jacob came out of the room. The change in him was not so dramatic, only a few more wrinkles around his eyes, which Sam thought looked like lines caused by laughter. "Why don't you explain?"

Alice nodded sadly. "I can't be Alice so we thought about what I could be instead. We came up with several options so that I could still have a proper nickname from Daddy, but we felt that you might instinctively want to still call me Alice, so…" their daughter now a little girl cast a nervous look at her grandfather who in turn gave her a reassuring nod. "If you like it, we thought Alexandra. Lexi for short. So Daddy you can call me Lexi Lou." She rubbed her nose nervously. "What do you think?"

Sam nodded dumbly, "It's lovely."

"Lexi Lou," Jack nodded. "I can work with that."

"Oh good," Alice now Alexandra gave a sigh of relief. "I'm so pleased. I missed you so much and I didn't want you to be mad at me."

"Why would we be mad at you?" Sam rubbed her daughter's back, despite missing all the time in Lexi's development her instinct kicked in making her react accordingly.

"Everything is different," Lexi gave a soft sigh and ran her fingers through her hair. "We came up with a cover story too," she slowly pulled away from Sam and held her hands out to Jack, "but that can wait. I just want to be with you. It's been so long!"

Jack held her tightly and looked over her head to Sam. His wife looked shell-shocked in a strangely good way. She was clearly happy but thrown by not being able to call their daughter by the name they had given her. "Jacob, thank you for looking after her."

"She looked after me, just as much, right kiddo?" Jacob smiled down at Lexi. "Is Thor about, he said something about running some tests."

Lexi gave an angry, yet resigned sigh. "He's making a fuss." She looked sadly up at her father. "I'm in control of everything and it was only a little explosion. I was only five." She rubbed her nose as it turned a faint sheen of pink. "I was curious."

"Explosion?" Jack quirked his eyebrow in inquiry at Jacob.

"Yeah, Lexi was trying to study QED." Jacob winced. "It's fine we didn't really need the kitchen table."

"You were trying to study QED at five years old?" Sam's voice rose in surprise.

Jack winced. "I'm sure I'm going to regret it but what's QED?"

"Quantum Electrodynamics," the other three sounded in unison with varying degree of excitement.

"Oi," Jack grumbled as he rolled his eyes.

Lexi giggled and held her arms up to Jack requesting he lift her into his arms. Jack complied lifting his much larger daughter with as much ease as when she had been smaller only hours ago. Lexi wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and smiled happily at him "Don't worry Daddy, its only coz I have the knowledge of so many other people. I like Hockey too and up until I broke the TV with a really sweet flick I enjoyed watching the Simpsons"

"Well that's something" Jack shook his head "Let's go find Good Ol' Thor shall we, see if we can't get Miss Lexi Lou home"

* * *

Sam watched silently as Thor and her daughter carried out the latest in the Asgard's series of tests on Alice's abilities. She shook her head. Alice wasn't Alice, Alice was Alexandra. Bizarrely out of all that was going on, seeing her daughter at eight years old, seeing her move objects with her mind, speak telepathically and talk about subjects that she herself had spent years studying, the name was the hardest thing. Alice wasn't dead, but she was, she was now someone else, someone older, someone called Lexi. She hadn't lost her daughter but she had. Sam chewed on her lip, and glanced over to her father and Jack who were alternating between watching the tests and muttering to each other.

"Mommy," Lexi skipped over to her "I passed!"

"That's wonderful sweetheart," Sam forced herself to smile.

Lexi regarded her mother with a slight tip of her head before giving a soft sigh. Slowly the little girl moved towards Sam, even more slowly she slid her small feet between Sam's and then with lightning speed dropped into Sam's lap before Sam had time to react. Her arms clamped around Sam's neck and she rested her forehead on Sam's "Mommy. I'm always going to be Alice. And I won't talk about Quantum…anything not if it's going to make you sad."

"I'm not sad," Sam hugged Lexi tightly.

"You are a bit," Lexi sighed. She kissed Sam's cheek tenderly, "Mommy remember. I love more than the universe. I will love you from the moment it exploded into being, until the moment that it collapses to nothing. I will always be Alice. And I will always be your little girl." Sam sniffed involuntarily as a tear slid down her cheek. Carefully Lexi kissed the tear away. "Is it just that it's been a lot?"

"Yes Sweethear,t" Sam returned her daughter's gentle kiss. "I think you're right. I think I just need to get you home." She readjusted Lexi's position on her knee, "and you can talk about anything you want to with me Quantum Electrodynamics included."

Lexi gave a sigh of relief "Oh good." She rested her head against Sam's shoulder. "I find all that very interesting," she glanced over at her father to see if he was watching. "Don't tell Daddy but I like it better then TV and hockey."

"Your secret is safe with me," Sam bounced her knee slightly making Lexi giggle.

Jack smiled as Lexi's laugh rang out across the chamber. "So Thor, she all good?" he asked as the small alien approached.

"She is indeed O'Neill," Thor nodded slowly. "She is a unique individual one who I hope to work closely with in the future." Jack raised his eyebrows and Thor held his arm up to placate him. "If she is willing of course. Your daughter possess great ability and knowledge, she seems to be in complete control of her abilities. We as Asgard may have to think again about our plan to come for humans for the simple option." Thor quirked his head and Jack couldn't help but smile at the Asgard's attempt at humour. "I believe your daughter's new name is most suitable O'Neill."

"How's that?" Jack asked curiously.

"According to our database on the Tauri, the name Alexandra is a feminized form of Alexander," Thor told him with an air of authority. "The name means Defender of Mankind."

Jack nodded as he absorbed this. His mind already working overtime with what this could possibly mean for his daughter's future. "Yeah," he managed to offer Thor weakly by way of response. "Guess it could mean something."

"I am certain!" Thor raised his hand up to Jack and rested his spindly fingers on Jack's forearm. "I am glad I have been able to assist you O'Neill."

"We can't thank you enough Thor," Jack nodded appreciatively. "There isn't enough words, in any language in the galaxy to tell you how much this means to us!"

"I understand O'Neill," Thor bowed his head gently. The small alien turned away and carefully studied Sam and Lexi "You are a lucky man O'Neill. I am pleased for you," he carefully looked up at Jack. "A great man deserves his salvation."

Jack looked awkwardly at his feet, uncomfortable under Thor's unblinking gaze, "Thanks Thor."

"You are welcome," Thor softly tipped his head. "I shall prepare to beam you back to the planet," Thor dipped his head "I hope to see you again O'Neill under more pleasant of circumstances."


	11. Chapter 11

_AN - Final chapter, though it's a bit epiloguey than a full chapter and more then a little sugary :P I hope you enjoy and have enjoyed the story as a whole, thanks for reading, let me know what you think, K8 x_

Chapter 11

Jack looked down as Sam let out a chuckle. Holding out his hand she wordlessly handed him the photograph from the stack she was looking at as she stifled her laughter. Jacob had taken countless photographs of his and Lexi's time in the time dilation bubble. The photograph in question featured a sheepish looking Lexi clutching a hockey stick beside the smashed remains of a television. Jack chuckled, for once the him in their daughter was showing through, the expression on her face was distinctly an O'Neill expression. It surprised him how much of them he saw in Lexi, considering that most of her life she had been in one room with her grandfather. Yet despite this, she wrinkled her nose the way Sam did and adopted his own blank stare when she didn't want people to realise her intelligence, she definitely had his humour and perhaps best of all she had Sam's laugh. Jacob had definitely imprinted on Lexi and she had more than a few of his mannerisms. Several times he had heard the odd 'Holy Hannah' escape from her lips as she had taken in her new environment and helped with the move, each time she had said it had made him smile.

For the time being the family had moved into a rented house on the other side of town. They had accepted an offer on their house and were mid-way through the process of buying a property in a new neighbourhood across town. The new house was almost a carbon copy of the old one. Built by the same developer only 2 years after their old house. It had seemed perfect, and once it was decorated in their own style Jack was sure he wouldn't know the difference. The rented house where they would be living for at least the next two months, he hated; it was too small, with only two bedrooms that were too close to the living area and there was no office area. Their work was in danger of spilling into family time, whereas before he could shut it behind a door for the weekend now it was in a huge stack by the door. To top it off the yard wasn't good enough for a barbeque and the girls barely had enough space to run around in it, but as he reminded himself it was temporary.

"Jack look," Sam held up another photo. Jack took it and studied it, a picture of he daughter maybe six years old, pieces of paper with other names written on surrounding her. "She was choosing her new name."

"Yeah," Jack gave her arm a squeeze. "What's that one?" he squinted as he tried to make out a name written down, "Bizzy?"

"I think so, but it's Isabel," Sam whispered squinting at the photo herself. "See it's written above, she's choosing names you could turn into nicknames, Bizzy Izzy."

"Ah," Jack whispered softly. "She's a good kid…" he lifted his head as he heard a door open. "Speaking of which," he turned awkwardly, trying not to dislodge Sam from her position resting against his chest. "Hey Ells Bells."

"Hi Daddy," Ellie whispered from the doorway of her new bedroom which she was sharing with her sister.

"You 'Kay?" Jack asked.

Ellie shook her head. "I can't sleep, the house is making funny noises."

"And it's not our house huh?" Jack nodded in understanding. He held his hand out and the small child sprinted across the room. "Easy," Jack caught her before she caused any of them some damage. "You want a drink of water?"

"No," Ellie shook her head and nestled into the small space on the edge of the sofa, her head came to rest on his chest beside Sam while her arms wrapped around Sam.

"You comfy there?" Jack chuckled at her awkward position.

"Nope and Yup," Ellie nodded intently, "You are always comfy, but I fink I'm falling off."

"We can't have that," Sam deftly twisted herself and pulled Ellie across her body so the child was nestled between her body and the back of the sofa. "Is that better?"

"Yup," Ellie snuggled in tightly against her parents. For a few moments she was silent her fingers tensing back and forth as she gripped hold of Sam's arms, telling her mother that she had something she needed to get off her chest. "Mommy?" she finally whispered.

"Ellie?" Sam answered softly.

"Am I the big sister or the little sister?" she asked softly.

"You are both," Sam responded quickly, making Ellie sigh in annoyance. "You are always going to be our first little girl, which makes you Alice's big sister." Sam kissed Ellie tenderly, "but Alice is now Lexi who is bigger than you and we have to pretend she is older then you, so you are the little sister."

Ellie shifted from her position, rolling onto her stomach to regard her parents out of the top of her brown eyes. "So in the house I'm the big sister and outside I'm the little sister."

"Close enough," Jack ruffled her hair.

"So…." Ellie looked thoughtful. "Do I got to look after Lexi or does she have to look after me? Coz that's the big sister's job."

"You both look after each other." Jack told her softly. "We all look after each other that's what family does."

Ellie nodded thoughtfully, "OK," she slumped back down into her little nook in the sofa.

"You feel like you can sleep now?" Sam asked kissing her daughter tenderly on the cheek. Ellie shook her head fiercely, "Ok a few more minutes then I'll tuck you in."

Ellie nodded her consent and snuggled back into the position against Sam's side, she buried her face into the space where Jack and Sam's body met, her soft breath warm against her parents sides. Jack wrapped his arms around his daughter and his wife, before softly kissing the top of Sam's blonde hair. It felt good to be home, even if home wasn't home.

"Daddy," Lexi's sleepy voice sounded from the doorway of the bedroom and Jack looked up to greet her.

"You can't sleep either huh?" Jack asked jerking his head to invite her into the room.

"No, I heard Ellie wake up," Lexi stumbled across the carpeted floor to fall to her knees beside the sofa.

"The house is making funny noises," Ellie told her lifting her head to rest it on Sam's stomach. "I didn't like it"

"Me neither," Lexi wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I miss the hum of the engines," she rested her cheek against Jack's arm. "Maybe we cou…" she trailed off.

"Maybe we could what sweetheart?" Sam asked, sitting up slowly. Ensuring Ellie was safely laid against Jack she slid off the sofa to sit on the floor beside Lexi. She brushed Lexi's sleep mussed hair away from the child's face. "What would you like to do?"

"Build a fort," Lexi whispered, a soft smile pulling on her lips. "Pop Pop would build me a fort when I had my bad dreams. We would sleep in it so we could both be safe." She looked from her mother to her father and then back again. "Do you think we could do that? Build a fort so we can all be safe together?"

"Nice!" Jack exclaimed. "Fort is a great idea!" Quickly he sat fully upright, pulling Ellie properly onto his lap. "Ells Bells, go get the blankets and pillows off you and Lexi Lou's beds."

"We'll need structural support," Sam studied the living room furniture for a suitable candidate.

"Sam, Lexi you work on that," Jack got to his feet and moved towards the airing cupboard. "I'm going to get all the blankets."

Ellie slid off the sofa to the ground beside her mother and wormed her way under Sam's arm. "Mommy," she whispered as she snuggled into her mother's warm embrace. "I think Daddy likes building forts."

"I guess so," Sam kissed Ellie on the top of her curly hair. "But I think most of all, Daddy likes keeping us safe and together."

"Yeah," Lexi mumbled as she snuggled up against her mother. "I like that."

"Me too," Sam kissed Lexi on her nose. She nestled the two girls into her sides and watched Jack as he burrowed into the airing cupboard to find blankets and sheets.

After a few moments he pulled back bringing with him a stack of neatly folded sheets. He blinked in surprise as he took in the three women in his life staring up at him. "What?" he asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," Sam shook her head with a smile. "I'm just watching."

"Well quit it, and crack on," Jack ordered. "We got a fort to build."

"Uh uh Daddy," Ellie muttered as she got to her feet. "We do got a fort to build, but…" she trotted over to him she wrinkled her nose in amusement and held her arms up to be lifted up.

"But…" Jack pressed her to continue as he lifted her up into his arms. Ellie buried her face into his shoulder and giggled. "Not going to tell me huh?"

"I know," Lexi giggled. The little girl twisted her legs so that she was partially sat on Sam's lap. "Mommy knows too."

Jack quirked his eyebrows. "Well?"

"The only place your in charge is work," Lexi explained. "Here you're outnumbered, right Mommy?"

Sam grinned, "Yup!"

"Oh fercryin out loud," Jack groused good-naturedly. "OK then Ells Bells, how are we doing this?" he moved back over to Sam and Lexi and lowered Ellie to the floor. He couldn't help but smile as the three nearly identical faces smiled up at him. His chest swelled with pride and love and Thor's words echoed round his mind, he had found his salvation and for that he was eternally grateful.


End file.
